Patient-Specific Blood Pressure Estimation Using Elastography-Integrated Arterial Tonometry: Design, Development, and Experimental Evaluation in a Phantom Model

Abstract

Abstract. Accurate assessment of arterial blood pressure (BP) and vascular stiffness is critical for diagnosing and monitoring cardiovascular disease. Arterial tonometry (AT) enables direct pulse wave acquisition and has been widely explored for noninvasive, continuous, wearable BP estimation. However, tonometry-based approaches typically rely on generalized arterial biomechanical parameters that exhibit substantial intersubject variability and can limit accuracy, particularly in pathological conditions. To address this limitation, we present a hybrid sensing framework that integrates shear wave elastography (SWE) with arterial tonometry to enable patient-specific biomechanical parameterization. The proposed device simultaneously acquires arterial stiffness metrics and pulse pressure waveforms, which are incorporated into a validated physics-driven model for continuous BP estimation. By combining elastography-derived mechanical priors with direct pulse wave measurements, this approach improves personalization and physiological fidelity of noninvasive, continuous BP monitoring. The proposed hybrid system demonstrates the potential for more accurate, patient-specific, and continuous blood pressure assessment, with implications for wearable cardiovascular monitoring and precision diagnostics.