New, angle-independent, low cost Doppler system to measure blood flow.
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.
Skladany
M
M
Department of Surgery, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York, New York 10029, USA.
Vilkomerson
D
D
Lyons
D
D
Chilipka
T
T
Delamere
M
M
Hollier
L H
LH
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