Benchtop Pulse Wave Velocity Measurement From Spatial Wavelength Rather Than Pulse Arrival Time: Feasibility Studies.

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Fluid Dynamics
• Cardiovascular Physiology

Background:

• Arterial stiffness, a key cardiovascular disease predictor, is typically measured by pulse wave velocity (PWV).
• Traditional PWV methods struggle with accuracy in reflective systems due to noise and standing waves.
• Accurate wave arrival time determination is crucial for reliable PWV assessment.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and validate a spatial wavelength-based PWV measurement technique.
• To evaluate this novel method's performance in nonbiological systems.
• To compare its accuracy against standard PWV measurement approaches.

Main Methods:

• Utilized latex tubes in a benchtop pulsatile flow system (20-47 Hz).
• Employed high-speed video analysis to track spatial diameter changes and identify spatial wavelength.
• Validated results using computational fluid-structure interaction (FSI) simulations.

Main Results:

• The spatial wavelength method demonstrated consistent accuracy, with errors within 12% of theoretical predictions (Moens-Korteweg equation).
• Performance was comparable to traditional methods like phase-slope, peak-slope, and pressure arrival time.
• The method proved reliable in laboratory conditions at higher frequencies.

Conclusions:

• Spatial wavelength-based PWV measurement is a viable laboratory technique, particularly for higher frequencies.
• Limitations include reduced reliability near resonant frequencies and the need for a full wavelength in the measurement region.
• This method holds potential for studying vascular implants and prosthetics' effects on arterial dynamics.