Medical diagnosis of the cardiovascular system on the carotid artery with IR laser Doppler vibrometer

Laser Doppler Vibrometry (LDV) is known to be a possible diagnosis tool for many cardiac applications as the detection and monitoring of some important vital parameters (Heart Rate, Heart Rate Variability, Pulse Wave Velocity) in a non-contact and non-intrusive way. The technique has become known as Optical Vibrocardiography (VCG) i.e. by measuring the vibrations on the carotid artery or on the thorax [1-5]. The aim of the present study is to interpret the vibrational signal acquired from the carotid artery in relation to the electrocardiographic and hemodynamic aspects and to enable the extraction of further medical information relevant for diagnosis purpose. For the investigation an infrared (IR) Laser Doppler Vibrometer has been used. The acquired VCG signals have been processed and compared with the simultaneously acquired electrocardiogram and the color-coded Doppler sonogram. This has enabled a deeper understanding of the signature of the vibrational signal. Furthermore, in this paper, we also discuss the medical value of the VCG signal obtained from the carotid artery.