Abstract: A device for measuring fluid pressure in the lumen of a syringe including a pressure transducer integrally mounted in the plunger of the syringe under the plunger tip, such that the force applied by the plunger to the fluid in the syringe is transmitted to the transducer and the resulting electronic signal is converted to a display value for aiding a physician. A syringe that includes such a device may be placed in communication with a tubular member attached to a needle inserted into the body of a disk found in the spinal column of the back for diagnosing diseased disks in the back. The displayed pressure value may facilitate this diagnosis. Other uses of pressure applying monitoring syringes for other applications in communication with the body also benefit from the disclosed syringe construction, such as percutaneous translumenal angioplasty (PTA) procedures.

Abstract: A syringe configured for communication with a tubular member insertable into the body of a subject includes a pressure transducer integrally mounted in the plunger thereof, under a tip of the plunger, such that the force applied by the plunger to fluid within a barrel of the syringe is transmitted to the transducer. A resulting electronic signal is converted to a display value for aiding a physician.