Koven Technology, Inc.

Your Vascular Healthcare Partner

PPG Toe Pressures &
Toe Brachial Index Studies

The PPG (photoplethysmography) Toe Pressure and the related Toe Brachial Index (TBI) are performed to assess the vascular condition of the foot by obtaining systolic pressures at the toe.

Toe pressures use an infrared PPG sensor to determine the small vessel vascular condition distal to the ankle. Toe pressures may be useful in cases of unsuspected vascular disease and in baseline diabetic foot assessment where falsely high ankle pressures can occur due to calcification.

Using a noninvasive vascular Doppler equipped with a Doppler probe and PPG sensor, systolic pressures are taken at both arms, using the same method as an Ankle Brachial Index.  Then, toe cuffs and PPG sensors are placed on the toes and the systolic toe pressures are taken by inflating the cuff past the point where waveform motion ceases, then slowly deflating the cuff until waveform motion returns.

The Toe Brachial Index is calculated by dividing the toe pressure by the highest arm pressure. A TBI of 0.7 or greater is generally considered normal.¹

PPG Toe Pressure

Using a noninvasive vascular Doppler equipped with a Doppler probe and PPG sensor, systolic pressures are taken at both arms, using the same method as an Ankle Brachial Index.  Then, toe cuffs and PPG sensors are placed on the toes and the systolic toe pressures are taken by inflating the cuff past the point where waveform motion ceases, then slowly deflating the cuff until waveform motion returns.

The Toe Brachial Index is calculated by dividing the toe pressure by the highest arm pressure. A TBI of 0.7 or greater is generally considered normal.¹

PPG Toe Pressures can be performed using Koven's noninvasive vascular Dopplers shown below.

* When used with Smart-V-Link® Software

Bidop 7 Ultrasound Vascular Doppler

* When used with Smart-V-Link® Software

¹ Creager MA, et al. (2011). 2012 ACCF/AHA/ACR/SCAI/SIR/STS/SVM/SVN/SVS Key Data Elements and Definitions for Peripheral Atherosclerotic Vascular Disease: A Report of the American College of Cardiology Foundation/American Heart AssociationTask Force on Clinical Data Standards (Writing Committee to Develop Clinical Data Standards for Peripheral Atherosclerotic Vascular Disease). Circulation 2012, 125:395-467. Retrieved December 5, 2011 from http://circ.ahajournals.org/content/125/2/395.

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