Pulse Wave Velocity (PWV) Quick Guide

The following guide provides step-by-step instructions for taking a Pulse Wave Velocity (PWV)
measurement. Refer to the manual for more detailed instructions.
To begin, double-click on the SphygmoCor XCEL icon on the computer desktop to open the
application. Ensure the software and SphygmoCor XCEL module are communicating by navigating
to System in the toolbar and selecting Find Module. If an error message is encountered, consult
the manual for troubleshooting instructions.
Setup Screen
1. Select PWV from the drop-down menu in the top left side of the Setup Screen.
2. To enter a new patient into the database, click the New button in the bottom left corner of the
screen.
Note: If the patient already exists in the database, highlight the name and proceed to Step 5.
3. Enter the Last Name, Date of Birth, and Gender. All other fields are optional.
4. Click on the Save button in the bottom center of the screen.
5. Wrap the light blue femoral cuff firmly around the subjects upper thigh
ensuring the tube is on top of the leg and facing towards the subjects
head (Figure 1).
Note:The femoral cuff can be placed over clothing such as thin trousers;
however in rare cases it may be necessary to remove the clothing to allow
detection of the femoral pulse wave.

6. Measure, in millimeters, the distance from the

suprasternal notch to the carotid pulse point and enter the
value into the Carotid to Sternal Notch field (labeled 1 in
Figure 2). Measure, in millimeters, the distance from the
suprasternal notch to the top of the femoral cuff (shortest
distance) and enter the value into the Sternal Notch to
Cuff field (labeled 2 in Figure 2).

Figure 1

Note: The Femoral to Cuff field (labeled 3 in Figure 2) will be

pre-populated with a distance of 200 millimeters. For a more
accurate PWV calculation, measure the distance from the
femoral pulse to the top of the cuff and enter it into this field.
7. Click the Capture button (labeled 4 in Figure 2) in the
bottom right corner of the screen

4
Figure 2

8. Perform applanation tonometry at the carotid pulse. Once

ten seconds of regular carotid waveforms have been
DCN101444 Rev 2.0

detected, the femoral cuff will inflate to acquire femoral waveforms.

9. When ten seconds of consistent carotid and femoral waveforms have been simultaneously
acquired, the assessment will be collected and a report generated. The assessment can also be
collected manually by pressing the keyboard spacebar.
Note: The cuff can be deflated at any time by pressing the Cancel button on the screen or pushing
the Stop ! button on the top of the device.
Report Screen

Figure 3

10. Assess the Quality Control (labeled 1 in Figure 3) of the measurement. A green check (Figure 4)
is an indication of reproducible waveforms while a red X (Figure 5) denotes unacceptable data.

Figure 4

Figure 5

Acceptable

Unacceptable

DCN101444 Rev 2.0