A novel experimental set-up for Young Modulus Assessment through Transit Time measurements in Biomedical applications

Young Modulus estimation in arteries is a relevant issue, since such parameter is characteristic of their mechanical and structural properties. It is well-known that human arteries undergo modifications due to physiological aging and/or cardiovascular pathologies resulting in Young Modulus variations through time. In literature, the validation of specific techniques for in vivo monitoring of arterial stiffness is carried out through vessel phantoms that reproduce the pressure waves propagation for different stiffness conditions. A physical model widely used in the current state of the art is based on the well-known Moens-Korteweg equation which correlates the Young Modulus to the Pulse Wave Velocity (PWV). In the present work a novel experimental set-up has been designed and tested to simulate Young Modulus variation of a natural rubber (NR) tube through the application of different tensioning states. Such variation has been estimated by transit time measurements on the pressure waves acquired through Linear Variable Differential Transformer (LVDT) sensors. The relevance of the present study lies in the possibility to simulate human vessel stiffness increase and to provide a testing device for the validation of in vivo techniques able to assess arterial stiffness.