Estimation of Arterial Pulse Wave Velocity from Doppler Radar Measurements: a Feasibility Study

Pulse wave velocity has emerged as important diagnostic parameter due to its association with various cardio-vascular disorders, such as hypertension, vascular aging, and atherosclerosis. Long-term monitoring of pulse wave velocity can be beneficial in carrying out accurate diagnosis of the underlying conditions or even for an early prediction of cardio-vascular diseases. Doppler radar has emerged as a promising technology for contact-less monitoring and assessment of physiological parameters. In this study, we aimed at: i) as a first step, assessing the feasibility of measuring arterial pulse waves at the femoral region using the Doppler radar technology, and consequently, ii) estimating the pulse transit time between the heart-femoral regions as well as between the carotid-femoral regions using simultaneous Doppler radar measurements. The results of our feasibility study demonstrate that the arterial pulse waves in the femoral region, arising due to cardiac activity, can be estimated using the Doppler radar technology in a contact-less fashion. Furthermore, simultaneous pulse wave measurements at distinct surface locations using this technique can enable contact-less estimation of the pulse transit time and consequently pulse wave velocity.