A VIRTUAL INSTRUMENT FOR TRANS-THORACIC IMPEDANCE INVESTIGATIONS
Abstract
Impedance pneumography is a technique that allows the monitoring of respiratory activity through the measurement of variations in the impedance between two points located on the thoracic surface. In this paper, a low-cost, easily portable, and re-configurable measurement system is presented, suitable to perform impedance pneumography investigations, based on virtual instrumentation employing a data acquisition card controlled through a LabVIEW program. A possible approach for a metrological characterization of the system is proposed, showing a base uncertainty of the order of 0,4 % in the measurement of the resistive part of the impedance, in the range of interest. Some preliminary investigations have been performed in order to assess the influence on measured trans-thoracic impedance both of the kind of electrodes adopted for current injection and simultaneous voltage measurement and of the frequency of injected sinusoidal currents. Finally, acquisitions made on a volunteer are presented, evidencing the feasibility of the proposed system in monitoring the breath activity of a patient and in extrapolating relevant diagnostic parameters.
Event details
- Event
- Exploring New Frontiers of Instrumentation and Methods for Electrical and Electronic Measurements
- Technical Committee
- TC4
- Place
- Florence, ITALY
- Time
- 22 September 2008 - 24 September 2008
- Website
- http://www.imeko2008.org/