Vascular compliance probe with integrated ECG for image-free evaluation of arterial stiffness

Evaluation of vascular compliance is significant in cardiovascular diagnosis and screening. We present a novel ultrasound vascular compliance probe with integrated electrocardiogram (ECG) sensor, designed for quick and reliable evaluation of arterial compliance. The probe measures the compliance of the carotid artery using image-free ultrasound technique, and also measures the pulse arrival time (PAT) with the ECG signal. Automated measurement algorithms enable even general medical practitioners with little or no knowledge of vascular ultrasonography to measure vascular compliance parameters using this probe. The results of measurements performed on human volunteers by untrained personnel are reported to illustrate the practical utility of the system. The proposed vascular compliance evaluation system can pave the way for an effective and inexpensive cardiovascular screening tool.