Scientists from Aston University have developed an accurate method for detecting blood flow disorders in the feet of elderly patients and those with type 2 diabetes. The research was published in the journal IEEE Processes in Biomedical Engineering.
Violation of blood flow in the limbs can lead to the death of a person or amputation of limbs. Foot problems are especially common in people with type 2 diabetes and the elderly.
Typically, a laser Doppler flowmeter (LDF) is used to monitor blood flow under the skin. Developed in the late 1970s, this method is not always accurate as it shows the average volume of blood flowing through an area of tissue. Scientists have improved the method, and now doctors will be able to assess blood flow in individual veins, including small capillaries.
The scientists tested the method on both healthy volunteers and diabetic patients. Diagnosis is non-invasive: you just need to attach the device to the skin. The method has shown greater efficiency compared to conventional LDF and may be optimized for visualization of blood flow in the brain and other tissues in the future.