Quantification and simulation of fluid-filled catheter/transducer systems.

Optimization of fluid-filled catheter/transducer systems for blood pressure measurement requires a prior knowledge of how each component affects overall dynamic response. This paper presents a method to measure resistance, inertance, and compliance of individual components by investigating the causal relationships between added known compliances and resonance. Additionally, a computer simulation that combines individual component values to synthesize practical blood pressure monitoring systems is presented. Complete monitoring systems are modeled through the combination of characterized components such as transducers, monitoring lines, and catheters and used to predict overall system response to any input function.