Electrical Impedance Tomography (EIT) has emerged as a ground-breaking technology in critical care, providing real-time, non-invasive monitoring of lung function. A recent study published in Critical Care, titled “Electrical Impedance Tomography-Guided Positive End-Expiratory Pressure Titration Improves Oxygenation in Patients with Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome: A Randomized Controlled Trial,” highlights the growing importance of EIT in intensive care settings.
This research demonstrates the potential of EIT, leveraging Sciospec’s advanced impedance measurement technology, to optimize mechanical ventilation strategies for critically ill patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). The study further explores how EIT-based lung monitoring can provide valuable insights into lung fluid status, helping clinicians better manage respiratory function and tailor treatments to individual patients.
Van Oosten, J.P., Francovich, J.E., Somhorst, P., van der Zee, P., Endeman, H., Gommers, D.A.M.P.J., Jonkman, A.H. Flow-controlled ventilation decreases mechanical power in postoperative ICU patients. National Library of Medicine (2024). https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38502268/
The study demonstrates that EIT-guided positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP) titration significantly improves oxygenation in ARDS patients compared to conventional methods, addressing the ongoing challenge of balancing lung recruitment and avoiding overdistension in critical care. In addition to optimizing ventilation, the researchers used real-time EIT imaging to monitor changes in regional lung aeration and ventilation distribution.
By incorporating Sciospec’s high-precision impedance measurement technology, the research team was able to visualize regional lung ventilation in real time, allowing for precise ventilator adjustments that improved oxygenation while potentially lowering the risk of ventilator-induced lung injury.
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This research highlights how electrical impedance Tomography (EIT) bridges the gap between non-invasive monitoring and real-time clinical decision-making. By providing a clear, spatially-resolved picture of regional lung function, EIT offers unique advantages:
The researchers relied on Sciospec’s state-of-the-art EIT systems, to gather and analyze bioimpedance data across multiple frequencies. Our technology enabled the precise, multi-channel data acquisition that is essential for accurate and clinically meaningful EIT imaging in dynamic critical care environments.
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At Sciospec, we design highly adaptable, modular Electrical Impedance Tomography (EIT) systems tailored for advanced medical research. Our Electrical Impedance Tomography (EIT) systems, particularly suited for lung imaging applications, provide spatially resolved impedance data across the thoracic region.
These systems played a pivotal role in enabling groundbreaking research by offering unmatched precision and flexibility in capturing detailed lung function data with high temporal and spatial resolution. The Sciopsec EIT system’s ability to simultaneously measure up to 256 electrodes provides a comprehensive view of lung behavior during mechanical ventilation, crucial for developing personalized ventilation strategies and advancing our understanding of ARDS pathophysiology.
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The LungEIT Kit is a game-changing solution for research teams venturing into lung imaging applications. This comprehensive bundle provides the easiest possible entry into EIT-based lung imaging, offering a ready-to-use system that simplifies both setup and application in clinical and research settings.
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Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS) is a severe form of lung injury characterized by widespread inflammation and fluid leakage into the air sacs of the lungs. This leads to impaired gas exchange, causing hypoxemia (low blood oxygen levels) and stiffening of the lungs. The review article discusses how Sciospec EIT technology can be used to monitor regional ventilation distribution in ARDS patients, helping clinicians to optimize ventilator settings and avoid ventilator-induced lung injury.
In ARDS patients, lung injury is often unevenly distributed. EIT can help visualize this regional heterogeneity in lung ventilation. This information can be used to optimize ventilator settings, such as PEEP, to improve ventilation in poorly aerated regions while avoiding overdistension in healthier areas of the lung.
➡️ Sciospec’s LungEIT Kit provides clinicians with real-time visual feedback, enabling them to make more informed decisions about ventilator management in ARDS patients.
Positive End-Expiratory Pressure (PEEP) is the pressure in the lungs above atmospheric pressure at the end of expiration. During mechanical ventilation, PEEP is often applied to prevent the alveoli from collapsing at the end of each breath. This helps to improve oxygenation, reduce lung injury, and maintain functional residual capacity.
The electrode belt should be positioned transversely between the 4th and 5th intercostal space in the parasternal line. Proper placement is crucial because positioning the belt too low can result in artifacts from diaphragm movement and inaccurate tidal impedance variation (TIV) values. Conversely, placing it too high may lead to an erroneous estimation of ventilated areas, particularly in the dorsal regions of the lung. Belt rotation and oblique placement should also be avoided to ensure accurate image reconstruction.
➡️ Sciospec’s LungEIT Kit includes guidance and tools to aid in accurate belt placement, helping ensure optimal data acquisition.
EIT measures changes in electrical impedance within the thorax. During ventilation, the air-filled lung tissue causes changes in impedance. Regions with higher ventilation exhibit greater impedance changes compared to poorly ventilated or non-ventilated regions. By analyzing these impedance variations, EIT can create images showing the regional distribution of ventilation.
Several factors can introduce artifacts in EIT measurements, including diaphragm movement, pleural effusion, pneumothorax, patient movement, and issues with electrode-skin contact. To minimize artifacts:
➡️ Sciospec’s advanced signal processing capabilities within the LungEIT Kit can help mitigate some of these artifacts and improve the accuracy of EIT measurements.
Simultaneous measurement of EIT with other physiological signals facilitates comprehensive analysis and interpretation. Recording data on a single device is recommended, using a device-specific connection or flow/pressure sensor attached to the EIT machine. While perfect synchrony is challenging, breath-hold maneuvers during acquisition can serve as useful references for offline synchronization.
Electrical impedance tomography (EIT) works by injecting a small, safe electrical current through electrodes placed around the chest. The EIT system then measures the resulting voltage distribution. Since air and tissue have different electrical impedances, the voltage measurements can be used to create an image of the impedance distribution within the chest, reflecting the distribution of air in the lungs. Changes in impedance over time reveal how ventilation is distributed throughout the lungs during breathing.
EIT has different clinical applications such as point-of-care evaluation of lung physiology and delivering of individualized mechanical ventilation and help monitor and assess the dynamic response to maneuvers (e.g. titration of positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP) or prone positioning).
The integration of Electrical Impedance Tomography (EIT) into mechanical ventilation monitoring is redefining how clinicians manage respiratory function in critical care settings. As demonstrated by this recent research, real-time, non-invasive lung imaging is no longer a futuristic concept—it’s an essential tool for improving patient outcomes today.
At Sciospec, we are committed to driving innovation in biomedical impedance technology, providing researchers and clinicians with scalable, customizable, and high-precision solutions. Whether you’re exploring lung imaging for critical care, clinical research, or device development, our advanced EIT systems, including the LungEIT Kit, are designed to support your needs from concept to clinical application.
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