Diameter and pulsatile oscillations of the femoral artery recorded by ultrasound.

A new non-invasive method for in vivo investigations of the inner diameter and pulsatile oscillations of large muscular arteries by means of an ultrasound time-motion technique is presented. Each histologic layer of the arterial wall is identified at in vitro examination of the external iliac artery. The method has been used for in vivo investigations of 16 long term diabetics and of 16 non-diabetics. A reduction of the lumen and decrement in pulse deflections were found in the diabetics when compared with those of the normal group.