A device and method are provided for use with a noninvasive optical measurement
system, such as a thermal gradient spectrometer, for improved determination of
analyte concentrations within living tissue. In one embodiment, a wearable window
is secured to a patient's forearm thereby isolating a measurement site on the patient's
skin for determination of blood glucose levels. The wearable window effectively
replaces a window of the spectrometer, and thus forms an interface between the
patient's skin and a thermal mass window of the spectrometer. When the spectrometer
must be temporarily removed from the patient's skin, such as to allow the patient
mobility, the wearable window is left secured to the forearm so as to maintain
a consistent measurement site on the skin. When the spectrometer is later reattached
to the patient, the wearable window will again form an interface between the spectrometer
and the same location of skin as before.