title: An on-line system for measurement of opacity pulse propagation times in atraumatic screening of patients for occlusive vascular disease.
abstract: Measurement of opacity pulse propagation times to internal and external carotid vascular beds of the face and to upper extremities on either side of the body is a useful atraumatic method of screening patients for extracranial cerebrovascular disease. We describe a system for rapid measurement and on-line presentation of pulse propagation times that improves upon factors of measurement accuracy and time required to perform the procedure that had previously limited the clinical application of the method. Pulse propagation measurements evaluating common carotid, internal carotid, external carotid, and subclavian arteries can be carried out and results obtained in 10 to 15 minutes using this system. Correlations of data obtained with the system with results of four vessel angiography in patients are presented.
mesh_terms: D001157:Arterial Occlusive Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis*; D006801:Humans; D009862:Online Systems; D009991:Oscillometry / Q000295:instrumentation; D010783:Photometry / Q000295:instrumentation; D011674:Pulse; D012867:Skin / Q000098:blood supply; D014159:Transducers