Resonance sonomanometry for noninvasive, continuous monitoring of blood pressure

Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death worldwide. Existing methods for continuous, noninvasive blood pressure monitoring suffer from poor accuracy, uncomfortable form factors, or a need for frequent calibration, limiting their adoption. We introduce a new framework for continuous BP measurement that is noninvasive and calibration-free. The method uses acoustic stimulation to induce resonance of the artery wall. Ultrasound imaging is used to measure resonance and capture arterial dimensions which are related to blood pressure via a fully-determined physical model. The approach and model are validated in vitro using arterial mock-ups and then in multiple arteries in human subjects. Further development could facilitate more robust continuous blood pressure measurement, providing significant benefits for early diagnosis and treatment of cardiovascular disease.