Scientists at the Healthcare Technology Innovation Centre (HTIC) in IIT Madras Research Park have developed a low-cost medical device to measure the stiffening of blood vessels. Arterial stiffening is an indicator of cardio-vascular diseases, which are now being measured by voluminous machines that use ultrasound imaging and cost in the range of Rs 15-40 lakh.

The new device, Artsens, about the size of a set top box, costs Rs 1 lakh and can be operated with minimal skills, says Mohanasankar Sivaprakasam, Head of HTIC. It uses a computer algorithm to interpret ultrasound signals reflected by blood vessels, and comes up with a numerical value reflecting vessel stiffness. It took over three years for the project to reach the prototype stage and will take another year for the development of a handheld device.

T.S. Rao, Senior Advisor, Department of Biotechnology, Ministry of Science and Technology, said a Clinical Development Plan and a protocol before widespread clinical trials of the device can be conducted. He mentioned it could take over seven years for the device to reach the “downstream” healthcare centres, where affordability is key.

The device has undergone two successful tests at Thambiran Heart and Vascular Institute, Chennai, and Sri Ramachandra University in the city where the device was set against the conventional pulse wave velocity method. Thanikachalam, Director, Cardiac Care Centre at the university, said extensive studies on all age and ethnicities groups must be undertaken before the device can be readied for public use on patients. 

bharani.v@thehindu.co.in

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