PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a method and apparatus for examination of an endothelial function of a blood vessel, the apparatus that is constituted simply and small, and has high reliability by using the same index as a conventional FMD examination index.SOLUTION: An apparatus becomes simple and small by eliminating the need for an ultrasonic probe and a probe supporting device for supporting it and searching for an optimal position, and an ultrasonic wave image generation device for generating an ultrasonic image by processing a signal from the ultrasonic probe, etc. Furthermore, a pressure pulse wave collected continually in a predetermined period T1 with a pressure pulse wave collection control unit 36 is subjected to capacity conversion in a pulse wave processing control unit 38, and thereby an expanded rate of an arterial blood vessel is calculated by using an equivalent vessel diameter conversion. Accordingly, the timing in which a vascular diameter (vascular volume) becomes maximum by vasodilation reaction caused by shear stress applied to the arterial blood vessel substantially matches any detection timing of the pressure pulse wave collected continually for a predetermined time, and it is evaluated with an index being the same as a conventional FMD examination, and therefore a reliable examination for endothelial function of the blood vessel becomes possible.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2COPYRIGHT: (C)2017,JPO&INPIT【課題】簡単かつ小型に構成され且つ従来のFMD検査指標と同じ指標を使うことで信頼性の高い血管の内皮機能検査方法および装置を提供する。【解決手段】超音波プローブおよびそれを支持して最適位置を探索するプローブ支持装置、超音波プローブからの信号を処理して超音波画像を生成する超音波画像生成装置などが不要となるため、装置が簡単且つ小型となる。しかも、脈波処理制御部38において、圧脈波採取制御部36で所定期間T1において連続的に採取された圧脈波を容量変換することで前記動脈血管の拡張率が相当血管径換算を用いて算出されることから、動脈血管に作用したずり応力に起因する血管拡張反応により血管径(血管容積)が最大となるタイミングと所定時間連続的に採取される圧脈波のいずれかの検出タイミングとがほぼ一致し、かつ従来のFMD検査と同一の指標で評価するので、信頼性の高い血管の内皮機能検査が可能となる。【選択図】図2
