Patent ID: 6654620
Filing Date: 2003-11-25
Classification: A61B,G01N

Abstract:
A method for determining the concentration of analyte in a biological sample comprising the steps of:(a) providing an optical measuring instrument that comprises at least one thermally controllable optical measuring element that comes into contact with a surface of said biological sample; (b) applying an inert, thermally conductive, optically transparent coupling agent to said at least one optical measuring element or to said surface of said biological sample or both so that said coupling agent will be disposed at the interface of said surface of said biological sample and said at least one optical measuring element, said coupling agent selected from the group consisting of silicone oil, mineral oil, polyethylene glycols, and oils from natural resources; (c) measuring at least one optical property of said biological sample by means of said at least one optical measuring element; and (d) correlating the at least one optical property of said biological sample with the concentration of said analyte in said biological sample.