In vitro validation of measurement of volume elastic modulus using photoplethysmography

Arterial stiffness appears early as cardiovascular disease develops and advances, yet usual readings of it stay indirect and qualitative. Medical Engineering & Physics (2017) asks whether photoplethysmography, taken as volumetric strain, can give the volume elastic modulus (Ev) directly. A bench arterial model stands in for circulation in health, called Model 2, and in disease, called Model 1. Flow, pressure and PPG were logged together as flow dynamics were varied.

• Published in Medical Engineering & Physics (2017).

Arterial stiffness (AS) is one of the earliest detectable symptoms of cardiovascular diseases and their progression. Current AS measurement methods provide an indirect and qualitative estimation of AS. The purpose of this study is to explore the utilisation of Photoplethysmography (PPG) as a measure of volumetric strain in providing a direct quantification of the Volume Elastic modulus (Ev). An in vitro experimental setup was designed using an arterial model to simulate the human circulation in health (Model 2) and disease (Model 1). Flow, pressure, and PPG signals were recorded continuously under varied conditions of flow dynamics. The obtained Ev values were validated with the gold standard mechanical testing techniques. Values obtained from both methods had no significant difference for both models with a percent error of 0.26% and 1.9% for Model 1 and Model 2, respectively. This study shows that PPG and pressure signals can provide a direct measure of AS in an in vitro setup. With emerging noninvasive pressure measurement methods, this research paves the way for the direct quantification of AS in vivo.

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