Feasibility of Non-invasive Pulse Pressure Measurement Using the Phased-Tracking Method

Phased tracking (PT) is a high-precision ultrasonic technology that enables measurements of pulse pressure (PP). The aim of this study was to verify the accuracy of estimated PP using PT. Estimated PPs were compared with measured PPs in three sheep fetuses that were connected to an artificial placenta system. Similarly, estimated and measured PPs of 30 human neonates were compared. PP was calculated using the Water–Hammer equation (PP = ρ × PWV (pulse wave velocity) × ΔU). PWV was estimated by measuring the transit times of pulse waves at two sites along the aorta using the PT method, and ΔU was obtained by subtracting end-diastolic velocity from peak systolic velocity. The correlation between the estimated and measured PPs of the sheep fetuses was strong (r = 0.95, p ˂ 0.01), as was the case with the human neonates (r = 0.88, p ˂ 0.05). It can be concluded from the results of this study that PT may be a non-invasive alternative method used to predict PP.