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Combination of laser Doppler flowmetry and pulse oximetry methods allows for the direct assessment of oxygen supply to tissues at the microcirculatory level, namely, in that part of the vascular network where the transcapillary exchange takes place that is responsible for saturating tissues with oxygen. The microcirculation system comprises arterial and venous microvascular parts that differ in blood flow velocities. Frequency separation of the photodetector signal components related to different velocity ranges makes possible to distinguish the hemodynamic processes in these two parts of the microvascular system. Moreover, numerous studies of collective oscillatory processes in hemodynamics reveal that cardio-oscillations are more pronounced in arterioles, whereas venous hemodynamics is mostly influenced by the breath rhythm. Taking account of the above phenomena allows developing a signal-filtration system for separate characterization of blood-oxygenation states in arterial and venous blood flows. Light absorbance in the skin depends on both light wavelength and blood-oxygenation level. Processing the signals obtained with a two-channel dual-wavelength (630 and 1115 nm) laser Doppler flowmeter provides information about blood oxygenation levels at the entrance and exit of the microvascular system and allows assessing the specific levels of oxygenation levels at the entrance and exit of the microvascular system and allows assessing the specific levels of oxygen consumption in tissues. In particular, this approach allows revealing pathogenic processes resulting from hyper- and hypo-oxygenation in tissues. For instance, rapidly growing malignant tumors are characterized by intensive metabolism, rapid formation of capillaries, and active transcapillary oxygen exchange that results in higher level of oxygen diffusion into tissue, while the level of oxygen is lowered in the microvascular veins.
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