Non-specialist ultrasound measuring of access flow: new technology.
A new ultrasound instrument has been developed, using vector Doppler and embedded machine intelligence, to enable measurement of access flow rates by non-specialists. Ultrasound measurement of access flow can be performed with the patient off the dialysis machine, avoiding the hemodynamic changes that may affect indicator-dilution methods. A research version of the instrument was tested on flow phantoms simulating graft flow, and showed accuracy better than 5%. A non-specialist measured flow in the access grafts of 7 consenting dialysis patients; the instrument showed flows commensurate with indicator-dilution-measured flows, but with less variability. Measurements were made in less than 5 min per patient. The cost per measurement is calculated to be significantly less than that of present methods of measuring flow. The new instrument may become a useful tool for monitoring flow in accesses to extend their life.
Vilkomerson
David
D
DVX, LLC, Kingston, NJ 08528, USA. dvldvx@comcast.net
Chilipka
Tom
T
Nazarov
Andrey
A
Kuhlmann
Martin
M
Levin
Nathan W
NW
D000488:Allied Health Personnel / Q000191:economics; D001132:Arm / Q000098:blood supply / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D001783:Blood Flow Velocity; D001794:Blood Pressure; D002408:Catheters, Indwelling; D004867:Equipment Design; D045268:Flowmeters; D006801:Humans; D015588:Observer Variation; D019047:Phantoms, Imaging; D006435:Renal Dialysis; D018616:Ultrasonography, Doppler, Duplex / Q000191:economics / Q000295:instrumentation*