Electrical impedance tomography: so close to touching the holy grail

• Published in: Critical care (London, England) Vol. 18; no. 4; p. 164
• Main Authors: Constantin, Jean-Michel, Perbet, Sebastien, Delmas, Julie, Futier, Emmanuel
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England BioMed Central Ltd 08.07.2014; BioMed Central
• Subjects: Acute respiratory distress syndrome; Care and treatment; Diagnosis; Electric Impedance; Humans; Lung - physiopathology; Monitoring, Physiologic - instrumentation; Monitoring, Physiologic - methods; Point-of-Care Systems; Positive-Pressure Respiration - instrumentation; Positive-Pressure Respiration - methods; Radiography; Respiratory Distress Syndrome, Adult - diagnostic imaging; Respiratory Distress Syndrome, Adult - physiopathology; Respiratory Distress Syndrome, Adult - therapy; Risk factors; Tidal Volume; Tomography - methods; United Kingdom
• ISSN: 1364-8535; 1466-609X; 1364-8535
• DOI: 10.1186/cc13979

Electrical impedance tomography is a new technology giving us lung imaging that may allow lung function to be monitored at the bedside. Several applications have been studied to guide mechanical ventilation at the bedside with electrical impedance tomography. Positive end-expiratory pressure trials guided by electrical impedance tomography are relevant in terms of recruited volume or homogeneity of the lung. Tidal impedance variation is a new parameter of electrical impedance tomography that may help physicians with ventilator settings in acute respiratory distress syndrome patients. This parameter is able to identify the onset of overdistention in the nondependent part and recruitment in the dependent part. Electrical impedance tomography presents a big step forward in mechanical ventilation.