Sensitivity analysis of thorax imaging using two-dimensional Electrical Impedance Tomography (EIT)

Electrical Impedance Tomography (EIT) is a non-invasive medical imaging technique which estimates the electrical impedance distribution within some tissue. The study aimed to assess the performance of the EIT system in a thorax imaging by analysis of sensitivity distribution. Sensitivity distribution was visualized using COMSOL Multiphysics simulation in a human thorax represented as an elliptic cylinder phantom consisting of homogeneous and inhomogeneous medium with varying different dimensions of 16 electrode EIT system. Current density distribution was collected for sensitivity analysis using the neighboring method. The sensitivity distribution at each position in the phantom is different. It is caused by the interaction of current density from transmitter and receiver terminal. The different varying parameter of the system can also influence sensitivity distribution. The sensitivity of inhomogeneous phantom is very non-uniformly distributed. The performance of systems was assessed by analysis of the change of sensitivity with the change of electrode dimensions in the homogeneous and inhomogeneous medium. (paper)