title: New, angle-independent, low cost Doppler system to measure blood flow.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  A new Doppler flowmeter using a special transducer forming two ultrasound beams to insonate vessels was developed. This low-cost flowmeter allows the flow to be measured independently of the angle of insonation.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sixty-five flow determinations were made in the carotid arteries of five pigs. The flowmeter measured the flow in an artery bled into a calibrated vessel. Results were compared with the true volume of the blood captured.
  
  
  RESULTS
  On average, 13 measurements per animal were made at different flow rates (80 to 600 mL/min). The flowmeter measured flow-volume rates in mL/min were found to be within +/- 15% of the cylinder captured volume.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The accuracy of the angle-independent flowmeter is comparable with that of flowmeters currently used clinically. The small size and portability, low operator dependency, and low cost suggest potential for continuous acute and chronic-flow monitoring and a potential for an implantable flow-monitoring device.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York, New York 10029, USA.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Skladany
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Vilkomerson
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Lyons
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Chilipka
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Delamere
authors.forename: L H
authors.initials: LH
authors.lastname: Hollier
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001783:Blood Flow Velocity / Q000502:physiology; D002339:Carotid Arteries / Q000502:physiology; D003365:Costs and Cost Analysis; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D017078:Laser-Doppler Flowmetry / Q000191:economics / Q000295:instrumentation; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D008991:Monitoring, Physiologic; D012984:Software; D013552:Swine; D014159:Transducers