ABSTRACT
The applicability of transthoracic impedance measurements for estimating thoracic fluid volume and tidal volume is limited by large variations associated with electrode movement, repeated application of electrodes and inter-individual differences. These sources of variation were studied with a four-electrode impedance-measuring device in anaesthetized dogs. Electrode movement artifacts affecting both the resting expiratory value of impedance (Zo) and the respiratory change of impedance (deltaZ/VT) could be largely eliminated by rigidly fixing the distances between the current-supplying and the potential-sensing electrodes. The reproducibility of Zo and deltaZ/VT was found to be affected adversely by local conductivity changes in the skin induced by repeated removal of the glued electrodes. Inter-individual variations in Zo and deltaZ/VT correlated with the thickness of thoracic subcutaneous fat (r = 0.86) and thoracic circumference (r = -0.95) respectively. Correction for these sources of inter-individual variation allowed the standard deviations of Zo and deltaZ/VT to be reduced from 18% to 7% and from 51% to 17% of their respective mean values.
