Optical spectroscopy for diagnosis

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Abstract
Optical spectroscopy is probably one of the oldest techniques in medical diagnosis, although the interpretation of a "feverish flush" or a "deathly pallor" formed part of the black art of the medical profession until quantitative measurements could be made. The fact that our skin changes colour is due to an important feature of human tissue that people are often not aware of. In general, human tissue is translucent, that is light can penetrate it to some extent. We look pink because light can penetrate down to the fine mesh of capillaries just below the skin; since haemoglobin absorbs light strongly at all wavelengths below ~600 nm, only the red part of the spectrum is left to be reflected back to the surface

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