Patent ID: 11918413
Assignee: KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS N.V.
Field: Medical technology (Instruments)
Classification: CPC A | IPC A

Claim 8:
9. A method for measuring arterial parameters using non-imaging ultrasound, the method comprising:
acquiring Doppler ultrasound signals from at least one blood vessel by an acquisition unit having an ultrasound probe comprising a plurality of transducer elements arranged in a grid configuration, the ultrasound probe having a first non-imaging ultrasound probe and a second non-imaging ultrasound probe detachably connected to each other, wherein the ultrasound probe is configured to provide a single probe in an integrated configuration of the ultrasound probe, and the ultrasound probe is further configured to provide two non-imaging ultrasound probes in a split configuration of the ultrasound probe, and wherein when in the split configuration, acquiring Doppler ultrasound signals includes acquiring a first Doppler signal with the first non-imaging ultrasound probe and acquiring a second Doppler signal with the second non-imaging ultrasound probe, said second Doppler signal originating from a different location in a body than the first Doppler signal; and
processing the acquired Doppler ultrasound signals and determining a Pulse Wave Velocity (PWV) for the at least one blood vessel;
wherein processing the acquired Doppler ultrasound signals involves calculating a global PWV for the at least one blood vessel when the ultrasound probe is in the split configuration, and a local PWV when the ultrasound is in the integrated configuration;
wherein, when the ultrasound probe is in the split configuration, processing the acquired Doppler ultrasound signals further involves calculating the global PWV for the at least one blood vessel based on a time delay between the first Doppler signal and the second Doppler signal; and
wherein, when the ultrasound probe is in the integrated configuration, processing the acquired Doppler ultrasound signals further involves determining a distension waveform indicative of (i) differences between the movements of a near wall and a far wall of the at least one blood vessel, and (ii) changes in the cross section of the at least one blood vessel, and further involves determining a pressure wave form based, at least partially, on the distension waveform, and determining a local PWV based using the pressure wave form.