On the design of passive resonant circuits to measure local pulse wave velocity in a stent

In-stent restenosis is a frequent complication after stent implantation. This article investigates the design of a passive sensor system to be integrated into a stent for the detection of an in-stent restenosis by measuring the local pulse wave velocity (PWV). The proposed system uses two resonant circuits consisting of a capacitive pressure sensor and a coil as transponders. The pressure sensors are located at the proximal and distal end of the stent. An alternating external magnetic field with a constant frequency is applied such that the resonance frequencies of the transponders cross the excitation frequency when the pulse wave passes. The time delay between the resonances at the transponders can be captured to obtain the PWV. A model for the measurement system and a correlation between transponder design parameters and minimal resolvable time delay are derived. This correlation is based on the criterion that the 3 dB bandwidth of the transponder resonances may not overlap in the measurement time interval. This correlation can be used to design and analyze a transponder system for the proposed measurement system. In an experiment, in which the pressure sensors have been emulated by varactor diodes, it could be shown that the model is valid and that the criterion is suitable. Finally, the relevant design parameters of the transponders have been identified and their limitations investigated.