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Rheometrical detection of incipient blood clot formation by Fourier transform mechanical spectroscopy

Evans, P A; Hawkins, K; Williams, P R; Williams, R L

Authors

P A Evans

K Hawkins

P R Williams

R L Williams



Abstract

We report a study of the coagulation of whole blood by oscillatory shear Fourier transform mechanical spectroscopy. The results include the first identification of the Gel Point of coagulating blood in terms of the Chambon–Winter Gel Point criterion and we show how this may be used as an appropriate basis for detecting the establishment of an incipient clot in samples of human blood. A comparison of this technique with results obtained from a thromboelastograph (TEG) indicate that the latter is not capable of detecting the incipient clot, whose establishment can occur several minutes prior to the first recorded TEG response. Our results also reveal, for the first time, the incipient clot's fractal characteristics. An analysis of the viscoelastic data obtained at the Gel Point of samples of whole blood drawn from healthy individuals indicate that the incipient clot is characterised by a fractal dimension df = 1.74(±0.07). The significance of these findings is discussed in terms of their potential application in studies of pathologically induced changes in blood clot microstructure.

Citation

Evans, P. A., Hawkins, K., Williams, P. R., & Williams, R. L. (2008). Rheometrical detection of incipient blood clot formation by Fourier transform mechanical spectroscopy. Journal of Non-Newtonian Fluid Mechanics, 148(1-3), 122-126. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jnnfm.2007.04.020

Journal Article Type Article
Online Publication Date Apr 24, 2007
Publication Date 2008-01
Deposit Date Aug 1, 2016
Journal Journal of Non-Newtonian Fluid Mechanics
Print ISSN 0377-0257
Electronic ISSN 0377-0257
Publisher Elsevier
Peer Reviewed Peer Reviewed
Volume 148
Issue 1-3
Pages 122-126
DOI https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jnnfm.2007.04.020
Keywords Incipient blood clot, Gel Point, Clotting time, Clot microstructure, Fractal dimension,
Public URL http://researchrepository.napier.ac.uk/Output/320632