Refractance spectro-photometry is a technique for measuring the amount of light reflected from the surface of a material as a function of wavelength1. It can be used to assess the colorimetric reaction of a substance, such as a biomarker, in a sample1. Refractance spectro-photometry can be applied to gastrointestinal monitoring in critically ill patients, as it can provide information on the presence and severity of gastrointestinal dysfunction, such as ischemia, inflammation, or infection2. For example, refractance spectro-photometry can be used to measure the level of lactate in the gastric mucosa, which is an indicator of tissue hypoxia and poor perfusion2. It has not been validated or assessed in the setting of critical care medicine outside of a few experimental studies3.
References
1: Reflectance spectrophotometry. Medical Dictionary for the Health Professions and Nursing. Farlex 2012. Available from: https://medical-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/reflectance+spectrophotometry
2: Reintam Blaser, A., Preiser, JC., Fruhwald, S. et al. Gastrointestinal dysfunction in the critically ill: a systematic scoping review and research agenda proposed by the Section of Metabolism, Endocrinology and Nutrition of the European Society of Intensive Care Medicine. Crit Care 24, 224 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1186/s13054-020-02889-4
3: Friedland S, Soetikno R, Benaron D (2004) Reflectance spectrophotometry for the assessment of mucosal perfusion in the gastrointestinal tract. Gastrointest Endosc Clin N Am 14(3): 539–553, doi: 10.1016/j. giec.2004.03.011