Acoustic recordings from experimental saccular aneurysms in dogs

In an effort to isolate and characterize the emission of acoustic signals from saccular aneurysms, we made a series of invasive microphone recordings from experimental aneurysms created on the common carotid arteries of dogs using the vein pouch technique. Using a modified probe microphone, we compared recordings from the common carotid artery before creation of the aneurysm to recordings from the aneurysmal surface, both before and after clip occlusion. We then performed spectral analysis, band-pass filtering, and spectrographic analysis to compare the dominant frequency and width of the frequency range of both the aneurysmal and carotid recorded signals. The aneurysmal signals had a significantly higher dominant frequency (p less than or equal to 0.05) and a significantly wider frequency range (p less than or equal to 0.05) than the carotid signals. Aneurysmal signals recorded under conditions of systemic hypotension had a significantly lower frequency (p less than or equal to 0.05) than aneurysmal signals recorded under conditions of hypertension. Our results support the assumptions that acoustic signals from experimental saccular aneurysms are distinct from those of the parent vessel and that the aneurysmal signal can be characterized using passive microphone recordings.