Estimating the elastic modulus of nonatherosclerotic elastic arteries

Non-invasive measurements of the diameter and wall thickness of arteries in vivo combined with recordings of pressure, permit the assessment of some mechanical aspects of arteries in vivo.However, arteries are anisotropic cylinders with complex elastic properties which can only be determined by a detailed evaluation. Many of the parameters required to calculate the anisotropic circumferential elastic modulus cannot be obtained in patients in vivo,or can be obtained only with difficulty.