METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR MEASURING ARTERIAL COMPLIANCE, IMPROVING PRESSURE CALIBRATION, AND COMPUTING FLOW FROM PRESSURE DATA

摘要

Methods and apparatus for non-invasively measuring arterial compliance using the combination of noninvasive arterial tonometry and noninvasive cuff oscillometry. Some embodiments include an accurate calibration method using an oscillometric signal to calibrate the pressures of tonometric signals in a contralateral arterial site. The exact time at which two of the three oscillometric blood pressures (systolic pressure, mean pressure, diastolic pressure) are acquired are identified with precise locations on the un-calibrated tonometric pressure waveform. These two blood pressures are then used to calibrate the tonometric pressure waveform along (optionally) with adjustments for head pressure. For example, a left brachial arterial cuff osciilometric signal is acquired coincidentally with an un-calibrated right radial arterial pressure tonometric signal. The time points of mean arterial pressure and diastolic pressure are determined from the oscillometric signal and identified with coinciding time points on the tonometric signal to produce a calibration. All pressures are then adjusted by the head pressure between the brachial and radial sites. In some embodiments, a simple uncorrected volume arterial compliance curve is obtained by plotting relative arterial volume under the cuff against brachial arterial transmural pressure. The transmural pressure is the difference between cuff pressure and radial arterial pressure (adjusted for pressure head). Due to shear stresses at the ends of the cuff, this uncorrected volume arterial compliance curve overestimates the in vivo compliance for the arterial segment. Further embodiments account for this bias by providing a correction for the transmural pressure that is based on stress-strain properties of the upper arm.