In silico investigation of the effects of hemolysis on the hyperspectral absorptance of blood in motion

Abstract

Measurement of the optical absorptance of blood can provide insight into its composition and behaviour. Accordingly, optical devices and sensors are commonly used in a clinical setting to measure the absorptance of blood, either directly or indirectly through measurement of skin spectral responses. These measurements enable the evaluation or constant monitoring of a patient's blood. In this paper, we perform predictive simulations to investigate the absorptance of blood and how it is affected by hemolysis. These simulations are performed using a cell-based light interaction model, known as CLBlood, which accounts for the orientation and distribution of red blood cells. This allows us to evaluate the effect of hemolysis under different flow conditions. Furthermore, we produce results in the ultraviolet, visible and infrared domains using CLBlood's hyperspectral capabilities. We then evaluate the sensitivity of the absorptance signature of blood to hemolysis in each of these domains under several experimental conditions. The observations in this paper enhance our understanding of the impact of hemolysis on the optical absorptance of blood, potentially leading to simplified and more accurate methods for its detection and monitoring.