Monitoring microvascular changes over time with a repositionable 3D ultrasonic capacitive micromachined row-column sensor

Abstract

eHealth devices, including smartwatches and smart scales, have the potential to transform health care by enabling continuous, real-time monitoring of vital signs over extended periods. Existing technologies, however, lack comprehensive monitoring of the microvascular network, which is linked to conditions such as diabetes, hypertension, and small vessel diseases. This study introduces an ultrasound approach using a capacitive micromachined ultrasound transducer row-column array for continuous, ultrasensitive three-dimensional (3D) Doppler imaging of microvascular changes such as hemodynamic variations or vascular remodeling. In vitro tests and in vivo studies with healthy volunteers demonstrated the sensor’s ability to image the 3D microvascular network at high resolution over different timescales with automatic registration and to detect microvascular changes with high sensitivity. Integrating this technology into wearable devices could, one day, enhance understanding, monitoring, and possibly early detection of microvascular-related health conditions.