Testing Room - Pulse Oximetry

Dr Gourish Karande explains the role of pulse oximetry in monitoring health.

- ​​​​​​​Dr Gourish Karande

Oxygen plays an important role in the survival and functioning of the human body. A presence of normal level of oxygen in the blood is important for the proper functioning of different parts of the body. Oxygen level may slightly dip down temporarily at different times of the day which is considered normal. Persistent low levels of oxygen may indicate the presence of a serious infection or a disease. In order to check the oxygen levels in the blood, pulse oximetry test is recommended.

Importance of the test

Pulse oximetry is a way to measure the amount of oxygen being carried in the blood. The blood oxygen level is checked using a small, non-invasive device called a pulse oximeter. The blood oxygen level measured with an oximeter is called oxygen saturation level (O2sat or SaO2).

A pulse oximeter is a small hand-held device with a wire probe and it is attached to a person's finger, toe or earlobe. It is relatively inexpensive and is more practical for home use. The device releases beams of light that pass through the blood in the finger, earlobe or toe to measure the oxygen level. These light beams are 'read' to calculate the percentage of oxygen carried in the blood. It also provides a reading of the heart rate.