CPC A61B 8/06 (2013.01) [A61B 8/12 (2013.01); A61B 8/4494 (2013.01); A61B 8/488 (2013.01); G01S 15/8915 (2013.01); G01S 15/8979 (2013.01); A61B 8/4488 (2013.01)] | 15 Claims |
1. A system for performing intravascular pulse wave velocity measurements, the system comprising:
an intravascular ultrasound device adapted to:
generate, using a single sensor, a plurality of intravascular ultrasonic pulses at a pulse origin, wherein the plurality of intravascular ultrasonic pulses are directed along a vessel;
for each of the plurality of intravascular ultrasonic pulses, receive a plurality of echoes from a plurality of distances relative to the pulse origin, using the single sensor; and
a processor adapted to:
obtain a first ultrasound Doppler signal from a first distance relative to the pulse origin based on a plurality of echoes;
identify a change in velocity at the first distance based on the first ultrasound Doppler signal;
obtain a second ultrasound Doppler signal from a second distance relative to the pulse origin based on the plurality of echoes;
identify the change in velocity at the second distance based on the second ultrasound Doppler signal;
determine a time delay based on the first change in the velocity and the second change in velocity, wherein the time delay corresponds to a time for the change in velocity to propagate from the first distance to the second distance;
calculate a pulse wave velocity based on the time delay; and
provide an output based on the pulse wave velocity to a display.
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