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A pilot study of scanning acoustic microscopy as a tool for measuring arterial stiffness in aortic biopsies

Artery Research volume 13, pages 1–5 (2016)Cite this article

Abstract

This study explores the use of scanning acoustic microscopy (SAM) as a potential tool for characterisation of arterial stiffness using aortic biopsies. SAM data is presented for human tissue collected during aortic bypass graft surgery for multi-vessel coronary artery disease. Acoustic wave speed as determined by SAM was compared to clinical data for the patients namely, pulse wave velocity (PWV), blood pressure, cholesterol and glucose levels. There was no obvious trend relating acoustic wave speed to PWV values, and an inverse relationship was found between systolic and diastolic blood pressure and acoustic wave speed. However, in patients with a higher cholesterol or glucose level, the acoustic wave speed increased. A more detailed investigation is needed to relate SAM data to clinical measurements.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Centre for Materials and Structures, School of Engineering, University of Liverpool, L69 3GH, UK

    Riaz Akhtar

  2. Diabetes & Cardiovascular Medicine, Nutritional Sciences Division, King’s College London, Franklin Wilkins Building, 150 Stamford Street, SE1 9NH, London, UK

    J. Kennedy Cruickshank

  3. School of Materials, The University of Manchester, M13 9PL, Manchester, UK

    Xuegen Zhao & Brian Derby

  4. Cardiology Department, Klinikum Wels-Grieskirchen, Grieskirchnerstrasse 42, 4600, Wels, Austria

    Thomas Weber

Authors
  1. Riaz Akhtar
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  2. J. Kennedy Cruickshank
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  3. Xuegen Zhao
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  4. Brian Derby
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  5. Thomas Weber
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Correspondence to Riaz Akhtar.

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Akhtar, R., Cruickshank, J.K., Zhao, X. et al. A pilot study of scanning acoustic microscopy as a tool for measuring arterial stiffness in aortic biopsies. Artery Res 13, 1–5 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.artres.2015.11.001

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.artres.2015.11.001

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Artery Research

ISSN: 1876-4401

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