SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR MEASURING PULSE WAVE VELOCITY

A method for performing a therapeutic procedure includes applying therapy, e.g. a neuromodulation or denervation therapy, to target tissue, measuring a property, such as a temperature or impedance, of the target tissue at a plurality of spaced apart locations along the length of the target tissue, identifying changes in the measured property of the target tissue at each of the plurality of spaced apart locations, identifying a point in time at which the identified change in the measured property occurs at each of the plurality of spaced apart locations, and calculating a pulse wave velocity within the target tissue by comparing a difference between the identified points in time at which the identified change in the measured property occurs at at least two of the plurality of spaced apart locations, wherein the calculated pulse wave velocity is predictive of a response to therapy.