Non-Invasive Blood Flow Speed Measurement Using Optics.
1Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093-0407, USA.
Sensors (Basel, Switzerland)
|February 15, 2022
Summary
This study presents a novel, non-invasive method to measure arterial blood speed using diffused light. The technique accurately determines blood flow velocity, crucial for assessing cardiovascular health and disease progression.
Area of Science:
- Biomedical Optics
- Fluid Dynamics
- Medical Diagnostics
Background:
- Arterial blood speed is a vital indicator of cardiovascular health, influencing organ perfusion and disease progression.
- Current methods for measuring blood flow can be invasive or require assumptions about vessel properties.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop and demonstrate a simple, non-invasive technique for directly measuring arterial blood flow speed.
- To establish a method independent of vessel geometry and mechanical properties.
Main Methods:
- Utilized a diffused light model with a phantom simulating biological tissue and flowing human blood.
- Analyzed photocurrent correlation functions and applied the Siegert relation to derive electric field correlations.
- Investigated the relationship between decorrelation rate and blood speed.
Main Results:
- Demonstrated a linear correlation between the decorrelation rate and blood speed.
- Showed that the decorrelation rate is independent of the blood vessel's diameter.
- Validated the method's ability to measure blood speed without prior knowledge of vessel characteristics.
Conclusions:
- A non-invasive method for measuring arterial blood speed has been successfully demonstrated.
- The technique offers a promising approach for real-time health monitoring and disease assessment.
- The method's independence from vessel properties simplifies its application in clinical settings.
