Development and validation of a non-invasive, non-contact, optical measurement method for detection of local pulse wave velocity in the common carotid artery.

Cardiovascular (CV) diseases are the most common cause of death and their importance only increases. An important factor in the development of CV problems is increased arterial stiffness. Every time the heart contracts a pressure wave propagates through the arterial system with a certain velocity: the pulse wave velocity (PWV). PWV is indicative for arterial stiffness, and increased PWV has a strong predictive value for CV health. One way to measure PWV, is to determine PWV locally in the carotid artery: carotid PWV is hypothesised to be representative for global arterial stiffness, and it is easily accessible. Additionally, carotid stiffness is an important predictor of local plaque formation and stroke. In this proposal, two recent, harmless methods for carotid PWV detection are compared and thoroughly validated: an ultrasound method (pulse wave imaging or PWI) and an optical method (laser doppler vibrometry or LDV). Furthermore, the relation of carotid PWV with global artery stiffness and with CV health is assessed in a large patient population, elucidating the value of carotid PWV as a clinical parameter. These insights will finally lead to a new highly improved prototype of the LDV device. Eventually, this research will show the value of carotid PWV as a CV screening parameter and it will introduce a new LDV-based screening tool for fast, reliable measurement of carotid

Keywords:DOPPLER MEASUREMENTS, ARTERIO SCLEROSIS

Disciplines:Biophysics

Project type:Collaboration project