Synchronous absolute EIT in three thoracic planes at different gravity levels

The validity of absolute Electrical Impedance Tomography (a-EIT) for assessment of local lung volume has been investigated far less than the well evaluated ventilation monitoring by functional EIT (f-EIT). To achieve progress in a-EIT we investigated 10 healthy volunteers in an upright sitting position by using a-EIT at normal gravity (1 g), weightlessness (0 g) and approx. double gravity (1.8 g) during parabolic flight manoeuvres. Lung resistivity in three thoracic planes was determined by a-EIT using a multiple-plane synchronised Goe-MF II EIT system. Tomograms of resistivity at end-expiration in normal spontaneous breathing were reconstructed by a modified SIRT algorithm. Local lung resistivity was determined separately for both lungs. The respective resistivity values at 1 g and 1.8 g before and after weightlessness show an almost reversible behaviour along the sequence of gravity changes with a tendency to be lower after occurrence of weightlessness. The results reveal not only the expected varying resistivity of lung tissue in cranio-caudal direction but also a clear difference in these cranio-caudal stratifications of local lung volume between the left and right lung. The resolution and stability of absolute EIT seem to be valid and expressive for future investigations of unilateral lung volume under different physiological and pathological conditions.