Local Tissue Water in At-Risk and Contralateral Forearms of Women with and without Breast Cancer Treatment-Related Lymphedema

Abstract

Background: Quantitative measurements to help detect incipient or latent lymphedema

Assessment of Breast Cancer-Related Lymphedema: A Comparison of Moisture Meter and Spot Bioimpedance Measurement

“…It has previously been proposed that a TDC threshold of 1.26, based on three standard deviations above the mean measures of 60 women without BCRL, 14 be used for the inter-arm ratio of TDC affected arm TDC unaffected arm to differentiate women with and without lymphedema.…”

“…The 1.26 TDC threshold was based on measures using the medium probe with a penetration depth of 2.5 mm. 14 TDC values are depth dependent 24,30 and although the use of inter-arm ratios may have reduced the effect of variation with measurement depth, this threshold may not be applicable for measures made with the extra-small and small probes.…”

“…13 The portion of the electromagnetic wave reflected depends on the TDC, which in turn depends on the amount of water in the tissue immediately under the probe. 14 The volume of tissue and depth of penetration is determined by the surface of the probe in contact with the skin providing a focal measurement of tissue water. 15 Conventional tetrapolar bioimpedance analysis is sensitive in detecting increased extracellular fluid characteristic of early lymphedema.…”

Experimental and Analytical Comparisons of Tissue Dielectric Constant (TDC) and Bioimpedance Spectroscopy (BIS) in Assessment of Early Arm Lymphedema in Breast Cancer Patients after Axillary Surgery and Radiotherapy

“…The TDC technique in the assessment of lymphedema has been described in the literature. 19,[27][28][29][30][31][32][33][34] The device, (MoistureMeterD, Delfin Technologies Ltd, Finland), consists of four open-ended coaxial probes intended to measure tissue water at effective depths from 0.5 to 5 mm. The dimensions of the coaxial probes define the penetration of EM fields in tissue.…”

“…14,16,18 Therefore, measurements of tissue water are best focused into skin where the first signs of lymphedema are often thought to manifest [19][20][21][22][23][24] and where edema is often located. 25,26 Using this approach, Mayrovitz 27-28 and Mayrovitz et al [29][30][31][32][33][34] found in lymphedema patients significantly greater ratios of affected to contralateral arm TDC values than ratios of arm volumes or girths.…”