Features of applying fiber-optic sensors in spectral measurements of biological tissues

The fiber-optic sensor is a key element for in vivo spectral measurements of the diffusion reflection of biotissues. Its construction and geometry of the detection of light emerging from the biotissue have a significant effect upon the spectral composition of the detected light. This work presents the results of theoretical and experimental studies of the effect of the detection area on the spectral composition of diffusion reflection of skin. It was found that significant losses took place when detecting the light of the red and near-infrared light ranges if the dimensions of the detection area were comparable with the dimensions of the illuminated skin. The losses can be minimized with an increase in the detection area up to dimensions exceeding those of the illuminated skin by a factor of 3–4. In this case, losses during detection of the long-wavelength spectral range of light diffusely reflected by the skin are less than 5%.