Advancing Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy: Insights from Mobile Multispectral Near-Infrared Spectroscopy Imaging

Introduction: Hard-to-heal wounds often exhibit reduced tissue oxygen levels (Jain et al., 2006). Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT) has demonstrated the ability to enhance oxygen supply to such wounds, promoting healing. Transcutaneous Oximetry (TcPO2) has been employed for patient selection and monitoring treatment response during HBOT (Kaur et al., 2012; Bowen et al., 2016). However, TcPO2 has limitations, including variability in healthy individuals, sensitivity to positioning, and patient discomfort. This study explores the integration of mobile multispectral near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) imaging within the workflow of treating hard-to-heal wounds with HBOT.Methods:This study observed individuals in an outpatient setting who underwent HBOT. FDA 510(k) cleared handheld mobile NIRS and infrared (IR) thermal imaging device* was used to measure skin temperature and tissue oximetry (StO2). NIRS and skin temperature images were collected before HBOT. After imaging, the individual received HBO treatment, and post-treatment images were taken. Differences in tissue oximetry and skin temperature measurements between the pre- and post-treatment images were analyzed to detect changes and track the healing trajectory and patients' response to the treatment.Results:The study illustrates a significant enhancement in tissue oxygenation after HBOT, identifying patients with the potential to benefit from HBOT. Utilizing mobile multispectral NIRS imaging provides a powerful tool for showcasing therapeutic efficacy and longitudinal tracking of healing trajectories and patient responses to treatment.Discussion: The findings underscore the versatility of mobile multispectral NIRS imaging in patient qualification for HBOT, documentation of therapeutic efficacy, and active patient engagement throughout their treatment journey. Mobile multispectral NIRS imaging emerges as a promising tool to refine and optimize HBOT programs, streamline clinical decision-making, enhance patient engagement, and contribute to the comprehensive documentation of therapeutic efficacy.References:Bowen, R. E., G. R. N. Treadwell, and Mrrt Goodwin. 2016. “Correlation of Near Infrared Spectroscopy Measurements of Tissue Oxygen Saturation with Transcutaneous pO2 in Patients with Chronic Wounds.” SM Vasc Med 1 (2): 1–6. Jain, Madhur, Dhiraj Saxena, Kuldeep Singh, Arun Prasad, Ambrish Mithal, Lee Chin Thang, and Tarun Sahni. 2006. “Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy: Evidence Based Role in Diabetic Foot.” Apollo Medicine 3 (2): 235–43. Kaur, Sarbjot, Mridula Pawar, Neerja Banerjee, and Rakesh Garg. 2012. “Evaluation of the Efficacy of Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy in the Management of Chronic Nonhealing Ulcer and Role of Periwound Transcutaneous Oximetry as a Predictor of Wound Healing Response: A Randomized Prospective Controlled Trial.” Journal of Anaesthesiology, Clinical Pharmacology 28 (1): 70–75.