A hemoglobinometer or haemoglobinometer (
British English
British English is the set of Variety (linguistics), varieties of the English language native to the United Kingdom, especially Great Britain. More narrowly, it can refer specifically to the English language in England, or, more broadly, to ...
) is a medical device used to measure
hemoglobin
Hemoglobin (haemoglobin, Hb or Hgb) is a protein containing iron that facilitates the transportation of oxygen in red blood cells. Almost all vertebrates contain hemoglobin, with the sole exception of the fish family Channichthyidae. Hemoglobin ...
concentration
In chemistry, concentration is the abundance of a constituent divided by the total volume of a mixture. Several types of mathematical description can be distinguished: '' mass concentration'', '' molar concentration'', '' number concentration'', ...
in
blood
Blood is a body fluid in the circulatory system of humans and other vertebrates that delivers necessary substances such as nutrients and oxygen to the cells, and transports metabolic waste products away from those same cells.
Blood is com ...
. It can operate by
spectrophotometric measurement of hemoglobin concentration. Portable hemoglobinometers provide easy and convenient measurement of hematological variables, especially in areas where
clinic laboratories are unavailable.
As per guidelines of
National AIDS Control Organisation (NACO) for accurate results & mass screening, analysis using hemoglobinometer is a recommended method used for
absorbance
Absorbance is defined as "the logarithm of the ratio of incident to transmitted radiant power through a sample (excluding the effects on cell walls)". Alternatively, for samples which scatter light, absorbance may be defined as "the negative log ...
measurement of whole blood at Hb/HbO2/
Isobestic point, based on
microcuvette technology such as HemoCue 301 and Mokshit-Chanda-AM005A.
Devices
File:Haemoglobinometer (hemoglobinometer), United Kingdom, 1850-1950.jpg, Hemoglobinometry that compares a blood sample to a color chart, in use circa 1850 - 1950
File:American Optical Company hemoglobinometer.jpg, A hemoglobinometer made by the American Optical Company
The American Optical Company, also known as AO Eyewear, is a luxury American eyewear and sunglass company based in Vernon Hills, Illinois near Chicago. AO designs and manufactures in the United States.
History
Founded in 1833 by William Beecher, ...
. The light of a battery-driven lamp is travelling on two paths to the eyepiece. One path goes through the blood sample, the other one through an adjustable filter. When the brightness of the two paths is equal, the hemoglobin level can be read on the device. Such devices were made in the 1940s.
See also
*
Hemocytometer
The hemocytometer (or haemocytometer, or Burker's chamber) is a counting-chamber device originally designed and usually used for counting blood cells.
The hemocytometer was invented by Louis-Charles Malassez and consists of a thick glass mi ...
*
Cytometry
Cytometry is the measurement of number and characteristics of cell (biology), cells. Variables that can be measured by cytometric methods include cell size, cell counting, cell count, cell morphology (shape and structure), cell cycle phase, DNA c ...
*
Glucose meter
A glucose meter, also referred to as a "glucometer", is a medical device for determining the approximate concentration of glucose in the blood. It can also be a strip of glucose paper dipped into a substance and measured to the glucose chart. ...
*
Blood chemistry
References
{{reflist
Physiological instruments
Hematology