Abstract

Diabetic foot syndrome (DFS) is a common sequel of long-term diabetes mellitus. There is a urgent need of noninvasive, objective and quantitative diagnostic tools to assess tissue viability and perfusion for a successful therapy. NIR spectroscopy seems to be qualified to measure local capillary hemoglobin saturation of the outer extremities in patients with progressive diabetic disorders. We investigate how NIR spectroscopy can be applied to the assessment of diabetic foot problems such as neuropathy and angiopathy. Thereby we use spatially resolved spectroscopy in conjunction with a specially developed continuous-wave laser spectrometer. Comparison of intra- and interindividual measurements is expected to yield quantitative measures of local tissue viability which is a prerequisite for a successful therapy.

© 2001 OSA/SPIE