Principles of pressure transducer function, and sources of error in clinical use

Blood pressure can be measured directly by intravascular pressure sensors or by external transducers connected via a fluid column. Performance of pressure-monitoring systems is affected by physiological factors such as wave propagation within the arterial system, and physical factors, including resonance and damping. This article examines the physical principles that underlie transducer function, and the potential sources of error and inaccuracy in routine clinical use.