Intravascular blood flow measurement using differential pressure principle and expanding flow sensor

摘要

A blood flow measurement system for measuring blood flow volume, such as flow rate or flow volume in a blood vessel, includes an intravascular blood flow measurement device having a body with an expandable body portion. The control unit continuously provides a size control signal indicating each of the at least two predetermined expandable sizes to be assumed by the expandable body portion. The pressure sensor unit measures a respective sequence of blood pressure signals over a measurement time span defined with respect to a cardiac cycle period. The flow determination unit uses the value of the cross-sectional area of the expandable body portion, the associated pressure signal, and the known value of the density of the blood to determine the amount of blood flow in the vessel based on Bernoulli's law. Calculate the value of