Noninvasive acoustic intracranial pressure measurement through the eye.

Fluid pressure increase in the brain, contained in the skull, is a serious medical condition that can be life threatening. Intracranial pressure changes can be detected noninvasively using acoustic stimulation and analysis. The brain and eye are coupled resonant systems that will respond in a predictable fashion to brain pressure increases, given the constraints of the bioboundary (skull) conditions. Changes in acoustic damping in the eye co-vary with changes in cerebrospinal fluid or intracranial pressure. Feasibility of this approach is demonstrated in a preliminary study of five patients.