MIT researchers develop non-invasive technique for blood sugar control in diabetics

USA: Researchers at MIT have developed a noninvasive method that can be used to monitor blood glucose levels from just below the skin surface through the use of infrared light. This will make the management of blood sugar easier for diabetic patients who currently need to prick their fingers several times a day to make sure their blood glucose levels are in control. 

The method revolves around the use of Raman spectroscopy that involves shining near-infrared light on the skin which reveals the chemical composition of tissue, such as skin. MIT scientists have now taken an important step toward making this technique practical for patient use: They have shown that they can use it to directly measure glucose concentrations through the skin. Until now, glucose levels had to be calculated indirectly, based on a comparison between Raman signals and a reference measurement of blood glucose levels.

For the study, the researchers developed a new approach that lets them see the glucose signal directly. The novel aspect of their technique is that they shine near-infrared light onto the skin at about a 60-degree angle, but collect the resulting Raman signal from a fiber perpendicular to the skin. This results in a stronger overall signal because the glucose Raman signal can be collected while unwanted reflected signal from the skin surface is filtered out.