Global and local detection of blood vessel elasticity

The present invention is a non-invasive analysis system for detection of global and local blood vessel elasticity. The analysis system comprises two subsystems where subsystem 1 is data collecting unit and subsystem 2 is an analysis unit. The data collecting unit comprises one or many non-invasive image generating systems, or the data collecting system makes the registration possible of movement parameters that quantifies the dynamics of the blood vessel wall in longitudinal and radial directions. Subsystem 2 performs Wave Intensity Analysis which is an analysis method using co-related parts of the circulation system by measuring the intensity change (dl) of the blood vessel during a heart cycle. The intensity change is calculated as the product of the pressure derivate and the flow velocity derivate. In subsystem 2 the changes of pressure and flow are approximated by the deformation velocity or velocity of the radial and longitudinal direction, respectively. By calculating time constants and amplitudes of the intensity change graph a measure is obtained of the local and global elasticity of the blood vessel and atherosclerotic constrictions of arterial vessels may then be identified at an early stage.
QC 20111212. QC 20130807