Measuring Oxygen Saturation Is Called

A pulse oximeter is a small device that can measure the oxygen saturation in your blood.

Measuring oxygen saturation is called.

The underlying method for measuring oxygen saturation is called photoplethysmography. In medical shorthand you may hear it called a pao 2 when using a blood gas and an o 2 sat spo2 when using a pulse ox. In this method light of a defined wavelength is shone through a part of the tissue at the measurement site and then measured by a photodetector. Oxygen saturation is the fraction of oxygen saturated hemoglobin relative to total hemoglobin unsaturated saturated in the blood the human body requires and regulates a very precise and specific balance of oxygen in the blood.

Normal arterial blood oxygen saturation levels in humans are 95 100 percent. You can measure the blood s percentage of oxygen saturation using a pulse oximeter a clip like sensor device that is placed on a thin part of your body such as an earlobe or nose. A measurement of your blood oxygen is called your oxygen saturation level. Pulse oximetry is useful for people with chronic lung or heart conditions who need to monitor how well oxygen is being sent from the heart and lungs out to the furthest parts of the body.

If the level is below 90 percent it is considered low and called hypoxemia. It is obtained by drawing blood from an artery such as the radial artery in the wrist or the femoral artery in the groin. An oxygen saturation level of 95 percent is considered normal for most healthy individuals. A level of 92 percent indicates potential hypoxemia or deficiency in oxygen reaching tissues in the body.

Oxygen saturation should always be above 95 percent. The properties of the tissue at this point determine the absorption.