ABSTRACT
A method is described for the assessment of renal calculi by means of a computerized IR spectrometer. A preliminary reference library of IR spectra of 34 different renal calculi of known composition has been created. The reference library used in the operation of a computerized search program indicates the closest matches in the reference library data with the IR spectrum of an unknown sample. The computerized method of characterizing renal calculi has the advantage that it greatly reduces the likelihood of introducing errors because of operator bias in the subjective interpretation of spectral data.
Subject(s)
Kidney Calculi/analysis , Electronic Data Processing , Humans , Reference Values , Spectrophotometry, Infrared/methodsABSTRACT
A clinical evaluation of a quantitative infrared method for lecithin and sphingomyelin is described. The method incorporates techniques of computer-assisted infrared spectroscopy for both control of the microprocessor-based infrared spectrophotometer and for evaluation of the data. An advanced software package for quantitative infrared analysis, which can operate on a microcomputer, provides the possibility of complete automation of the analysis. Results of the analyses of amniotic fluids from 20 patients are presented. In general, the results of the analysis of the lecithin/sphingomyelin ratio by the infrared method correspond closely to those obtained by two-dimensional thin-layer chromatography on the same respective samples.
