An implantable medical device controls the excitation of and processes signals received from passive pressure sensor components of an implantable lead. The passive pressure sensor components include an inductor-capacitor (L-C) resonant circuit that has a resonant frequency that corresponds in some aspects to the pressure external to the implantable lead. The capacitive circuit portion of the resonant circuit may be flexible such that changes in pressure at the capacitive circuit cause changes in the capacitance of the capacitive circuit. Thus, changes in pressure at the pressure sensor are reflected by changes in the resonant frequency of the excited resonant circuit. The L-C resonant circuit is excited by a signal coupled to the L-C resonant circuit by the implantable medical device. In some embodiments, the implantable medical device receives such an excitation signal from an external device. In some embodiments, the implantable medical device generates the excitation signal.
