Carotid and radial pulse feature analysis with EMFi sensor

Authors

• Jarmo Alametsä Tampere University of Technology, Tampere
• Ari Palomäki Kanta-Häme Central Hospital, Hämeenlinna
• Jari Viik Tampere University of Technology, Tampere

Keywords:

EMFi, BCG, carotid and radial pulse

Abstract

The purpose of this work is to show the potential of Electromechanical Film (EMFi) sensor in vascular elasticity studies when pulse wave features from carotid pulse (CP) and radial pulse are studied. ECG, seat ballistocardiogram (BCG) and pulse signals from the limbs and CP were recorded from 48 working aged men in sitting position. Duration and amplitudes of the signal components from the ballistic seat signal, CP and radial pulse according to R wave of the ECG were studied. Several calculated parameters used to obtain vasculature stiffness information were compared with Bland-Altman (BA) plots and with Pearson correlation in order to study, whether CP and radial pulse give consistent information about vascular elasticity.

Results from the BA plots and Pearson correlation show that elastic information obtained from the CP and radial pulse signals clearly differ from each other. The elasticity changes along the arterial tree seen in local pulse signals reflect also to the form of the seat BCG signal.