Technology for non-invasive monitoring of glucose

In-vivo glucose sensing and regulation is necessary for patients with disorders of their carbohydrate metabolism, particularly caused by diabetes mellitus. Research into non-invasive instrumentation for patient self-monitoring of blood glucose can be based on near-infrared spectroscopy. All techniques proposed so far rely on the interaction of infrared radiation with body constituents with evaluation of molecular absorption or scattering signatures. Measurements were carried out in transmittance or diffuse reflectance or using photo-acoustic spectroscopy depending on the wavelength of the probing radiation. Alternatively, a correlation between blood glucose concentration and radiation scattering of skin tissue has been investigated. The present technology requires further improvements, especially for the normal and hypoglycemic ranges to allow applicability for blood glucose self-monitoring.