Method and apparatus for optoacoustic monitoring of blood components in a blood flow

A method of optoacoustic monitoring blood concentrations of one or more constituents therein comprising:

• directing a flow of a patient's blood through a substantially transparent vessel, said blood having an optoacoustically detectable concentration of one or more of said constituents therein;
• passing pulses of laser light through said blood flow containing vessel at one or more frequencies and inducing altered laser emissions from the exposed blood and/or detectable optoacoustic waves for one or more of said constituents;
• and
• detecting and measuring the alteration of the laser emissions and/or the frequency, slope and/or amplitude of said acoustic waves for one or more different ones of said one or more constituents.

An apparatus for monitoring concentrations of one or more constituents in a bloodstream, comprising:

• means for directing a continuous flow of blood to a detection apparatus;
• a detection apparatus comprising a substantially transparent vessel for receiving said continuous flow of blood, a laser light source configured for directing pulsed light into said tube which produces an optoacoustic wave response and/or measurable altered laser light emissions from said one or more constituents to said light;
• and
• means for measuring said optoacoustic and/or said altered light response.