A PC based system for non-invasive measurement of carotid artery compliance

A PC based system for non-invasive, in-vivo measurement of carotid artery compliance is proposed here. The equipment is a low cost and reliable alternative to the expensive B-mode scanner for vessel wall tracking and stiffness measurement of the artery. The system gives an accurate recording of the distensibility waveform of the carotid artery that could then be used to estimate the various measures of arterial compliance. The system is tested with phantom models of the carotid artery and the accuracy and resolution has been found to meet the requirements of the application. Results obtained from human trials have also been presented to illustrate the capability of the instrument to accurately measure carotid artery compliance.