Blood flow measurement: future applications and prospects.

Blood flow measurements have great potential value for evaluating ventricular performance in humans in terms of dynamic properties--peak velocity, acceleration, and instantaneous power development. Transcutaneous ultrasonic Doppler flow sensors provide new and exciting opportunities as simple, noninvasive techniques for ready access to this kind of information under many different circumstances. Recent developments in laser-Doppler technology provide promise of new methods for measuring blood flow in superficial vessels (i.e., skin or retina) without even contact with the surface of the body.