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Radical-7R Pulse CO-Oximeter Operator’s Manual
4
SIGNAL INDICATION AND QUALITY INDICATOR (SIQ)
The Radical-7R Pulse CO-Oximeter display provides a visual indicator of the plethysmogram
signal quality and an alert when the displayed SpO2 values are not based on adequate signal
quality. The signal quality indicator displayed on the Radical-7R Pulse CO-Oximeter is called
the SpO2 SIQ. The SpO2 SIQ can be used to identify the occurrence of a patient’s pulse and
the associated signal quality of the measurement.
With motion, the plethysmographic waveform is often distorted and may be obscured by
artifact. Even with a plethysmographic waveform obscured by artifact, the Radical-7R Pulse
CO-Oximeter locates the arterial pulsation.
When the signal quality is very low the accuracy of the SpO2 measurement may be
compromised, and a Low SpO2 SIQ message is displayed in the message area on the
Radical-7R Pulse CO-Oximeter display. When the Low SPO2 SIQ message appears, proceed
with caution and do the following:
■
Assess the patient.
■
Check the sensor and ensure proper sensor application. The sensor must be well secured
to the site for the Radical-7R Pulse CO-Oximeter to maintain accurate readings. Also,
misalignment of the sensor’s emitter and detector can result in smaller signals and cause
erroneous readings.
■
Determine if an extreme change in the patient’s physiology and blood flow at the monitoring
site occurred, (e.g. an inflated blood pressure cuff, a squeezing motion, sampling of an
arterial blood specimen from the hand containing the pulse oximetry sensor, severe
hypotension, peripheral vasoconstriction in response to hypothermia, medications, or an
episode of Raynaud’s syndrome.)
■
With neonates or infants, check that the peripheral blood flow to the sensor site is not
interrupted. Interruption, for example, may occur while lifting or crossing their legs during
a diaper change.
After performing the above, if the Low SpO2 SIQ message is displayed frequently or
continuously, obtaining an arterial blood specimen for CO-Oximetry analysis may be considered
to verify the oxygen saturation value.
Low SpCO SIQ and Low SpMet SIQ
When the signal quality for SpCO and/or SpMet is very low the accuracy of the SpCO and/or
SpMet measurement(s) may be compromised, and a Low SpCO SIQ and/or Low SpMet SIQ
message is displayed in the message area on the Radical-7R Pulse CO-Oximeter display. When
the Low message(s) appear, proceed with caution and follow the steps listed in Section 4,
Signal
Indication and Quality Indicator (SiQ).
Low SpHb SIQ
When the SpHb signal quality is very low, the accuracy of the SpHb measurement may be
compromised. A Low SpHb SIQ message is displayed in the message area on the Radical-7R
Pulse CO-Oximeter display, and the parameter/measurement value will display dashes (“---”)
instead of a number value for SpOC and SpHct.
O p e r a t i o n
