Electrical impedance tomography: functional lung imaging on its way to clinical practice?

Abstract

Electrical impedance tomography (EIT) has the potential to become a bedside tool for monitoring and guiding ventilator therapy as well as tracking the development of chronic lung diseases. This review article summarizes recent publications (from 2011) dealing with the applications of pulmonary EIT. Original papers on EIT lung imaging in clinical settings are analyzed and divided into several categories according to the lung pathology of the study subjects. Studies on children and infants are presented separately from studies on adult patients. Information on the study objectives and main results, the number of studied patients, the performed ventilatory maneuvers or interventions and the analyzed EIT information is given. Limitations that hinder EIT to become a routinely used tool in a clinical setting are also discussed.

Trends in mechanical ventilation: are we ventilating our patients in the best possible way?

“…After decades of research, electrical imperdance tomography (EIT) is now commercially available to monitor the pattern of regional ventilation of the lungs during mechanical ventilation, and to show how it changes by modifying ventilation mode and parameters [61]. Recent studies showed that EIT can be an effective tool to titrate optimal PEEP [62–65].…”

Flow‐volume loops measured with electrical impedance tomography in pediatric patients with asthma

“…Electrical impedance tomography (EIT) is a non‐invasive, highly dynamic tool that also provides regional functional information on lung ventilation. Although the high correlation between EIT and aeration of the lung during tidal breathing is well documented, EIT is still mainly used to provide information on lung aeration in intensive care settings to improve mechanical ventilation . However, preliminary studies have shown a similar correlation between EIT and aeration during forced expiration maneuvers when performing spirometry and during forced oscillation maneuvers .…”

Lobe based image reconstruction in Electrical Impedance Tomography

“…Electrical Impedance Tomography (EIT) is an imaging technique which is used in a clinical context to monitor impedance changes caused by conductivity‐contrasting liquid and gasses, such as those caused by cancer, brain ischemia, or ventilation. One main area of application is to generate tomographic images of the regional lung ventilation . EIT utilizes changes in electrical impedance of lung tissue during breathing.…”

“…One main area of application is to generate tomographic images of the regional lung ventilation. 1 EIT utilizes changes in electrical impedance of lung tissue during breathing. Expansion of the alveoli during inspiration hinders the flow of electrical currents and as a result increases the electrical impedance.…”