Thorax mapping for localized lung impedance change using focused impedance measurement (FIM): A pilot study

Abstract

Focused impedance measurement (FIM) is a technique where impedance can be measured with the optimum level of localization without much increase in complexity of measuring instrument. The electrodes are applied on the skin surface while the organs inside also contribute to the measurement, as the body is a volume conductor. In a healthy and disease free lung region, the air enters at breathe-in, increases the impedance of the lung, and impedance reduces during breathe-out. In contrast, for a diseased lung, where part of the lungs is filled with water or some fluid, air will not enter into this zone reducing impedance change between inspiration and expiration. With this idea, the current work had been executed to have general view of localized impedance change throughout thorax using 6-electrode FIM. This generated a matrix mapping from both the front and from the back of the thorax, which showed how impedance change due to ventilation varies from frontal plane to back plane of human bodies.

Efforts to establish indigenous technology for healthcare in a low resource country – Bangladesh experience

“…Using FIM the author's group are trying to focus organs both at shallow depths and at greater depths [81]. They are also working on applications of these techniques for lung ventilation studies and detection of pneumonia, particularly in infants and children, gastric emptying studies, particularly on unconscious patients in intensive care units of hospitals [82][83][84][85]. Another application for which this group is trying to use FIM is non-invasive breast tumour characterisation, whether malignant or benign [86].…”

Improved Understanding of the Sensitivity of Linear Tetrapolar Impedance Measurement (TPIM) and 8-Electrode Focused Impedance Method (FIM) in a Volume Conductor

“…Since then a number of papers reported the sensitivities of FIM in 2D and 3D (Abir et al, 2014;Islam et al, 2010;Iquebal and Rabbani, 2010;Saha et al, 2013) and its possible application in physiological studies and diagnosis in the areas of gastric emptying, lungs ventilation, breast tumour characterization, abdominal fat thickness measurement, etc., Al-Quaderi et al, 2014;Amin et al, 2014;Ferdous et al, 2013;Howlader et al, 2010;Rabbani and Kadir, 2011;Surovy et al, 2012).…”