Word parts
What it means
Most often done without needles by pulse oximetryPULS ok-SIM-uh-treeA painless test that uses light through a finger, toe or earlobe to estimate how much oxygen the blood is carrying.ox- oxygen-metry measuringFull entry , with a clip-on sensor that shines light through a finger or earlobe. A blood sample can also be tested in the lab (co-oximetry), which is more exact.
At a glance
| Spanish | oximetría |
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Related terms
pulse oximetry
A painless test that uses light through a finger, toe or earlobe to estimate how much oxygen the blood is carrying.
oxygen
A gas in the air that every cell needs, also given as a medicine at higher amounts than room air.
hemoglobin
The iron-containing protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen, and the blood test that measures it.
saturation
How full something is; in nursing, usually the percentage of hemoglobin in the blood that is carrying oxygen.