The proposal of noninvasive quantitative diagnostic method of the atherosclerosis and the clarification of organ correlation of atherosclerosis and oxygen metabolism

Article type: Research Article

Authors: Yokobori Jr., A.T.^; | Ichiki, M. | Ohuchi, H. | Kobayashi, T. | Satoh, T. | Kinoshita, Y.

Affiliations: Fracture Research Institute, Graduate School of Engineering, Tohoku University, Aoba 01, Aramaki, Aoba‐ku, Sendai‐shi 980‐8579, Japan | Sendai Japan Rail Ways Hospital, Itsutsubashi 1‐3‐1, Aoba‐ku, Sendai‐shi 980‐0022, Japan | Rise System Support Company, Tsutsujigaoka 3‐9‐15104, Miyagino‐ku, Sendai‐shi 980, Japan | Nikkiso Co., LTD., 43‐2, Ebisu 3‐chome, Shibuya‐ku, Tokyo 150‐8677, Japan

Note: [] Corresponding author: A.T. Yokobori, Jr., Fracture Research Institute, Graduate School of Engineering, Tohoku University, Aoba 01, Aramaki, Aoba‐ku, Sendai 980‐8579, Japan.

Abstract: The proposal of noninvasive diagnostic method of mechanical degradation of vascular wall is clinically useful and it will be correlated with noninvasive diagnostic method of atherosclerosis. Supersonic Doppler effect sensor has been used to measure blood flow velocity as a noninvasive measuring method. However, it is remain problem whether the output from the Doppler effect sensor really detects the pure blood flow velocity. Theoretically, when the Doppler effect sensor is set perpendicular to the blood flow direction, that is, perpendicular to the blood vessel, the output will correspond to the expansion velocity of blood vessel wall, because it detect the frequency of Doppler shifted supersonic scattered from vascular wall. Previously, on the basis of this concept, using Doppler effect sensor, we showed this method can really detect the deformation velocity of blood vessel wall and it correlates the degradation of elastic property of blood vessel. Furthermore, using this proposed measuring method, atherosclerosis is found to progress correspondingly with the visco‐elastic degradation of vascular wall. In this paper, on the basis of our proposed method, the quantitative noninvasive estimation method of the degradation of vascular wall and the progressive degree of atherosclerosis by unique parameter has been proposed. Using this method, the degradation of vascular wall is correlated to the oxygen metabolic function of blood vessel corresponding to the function of oxygen transportation and progression of atherosclerosis. Furthermore, the organ correlation on the atherosclerosis between lower limb and carotid is investigated by this proposed method.

Keywords: Noninvasive diagnosis, atherosclerosis, quantitative diagnosis, organ correlation, carotid, oxygen metabolic function of blood vessel

Journal: Bio-Medical Materials and Engineering, vol. 14, no. 3, pp. 241-249, 2004