Compression of the brachial artery in vivo.

Stiffening of the brachial artery is implicated in pseudo-hypertension. To date, a reliable clinical predictor of the condition has not been developed. This paper describes the development of prototype instrumentation and methodology for measurement of the brachial artery transmural pressure/cross-sectional area relationship in vivo. The methodology has been validated using a model of an arm and a thin-walled rubber tube. Application of the technique to a healthy subject shows that the technique is viable and gives good reproducibility. Closure of the brachial artery with reducing transmural pressure is observed and recorded. The new technique has some important advantages over existing methodologies.