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Impedance pneumography—A survey of instrumentation techniques

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Abstract

The impedance pneumograph is a bioimpedance recorder for indirect measurement of respiration. Using superficial thoracic electrodes, the impedance pneumograph measures respiratory volume and rate through the relationship between respiratory depth and thoracic impedance change. This paper reviews the development of impedance pneumography, and pneumographic instrumentation techniques. The advantages and disadvantages of the bridge, modulated oscillator, constant voltage, voltage divider, and constant current designs are examined and both the bridge and constant current designs are found to be useful. The relationship between impedance change component and instrumention technique is examined and a method for reducing the subjectrground artifact is presented.

The instrumentation techniques discussed also apply to other bioimpedance change measurements.

Sommaire

Un pneumographe d'impédance est un enregistreur de bio-impédance utilisé pour des mesures respiratoires indirectes. L'emploi d'électrodes thoraciques superficielles permet de mesurer au moyen d'un pneumographe d'impédance le volume et le rythme respiratoires en fonction du rapport entre la profondeur de la respiration et les variations de la résistance thoracique. Les différents stades de développement des techniques de la pneumographie d'impédance et de l'instrumentation pneumographique sont revues. Il est procédé à un examen des avantages et désavantages du pont, de l'oscillateur à modulation de fréquence, de l'intensité constante et des système à courant continu. L'utilité du pont et des systèmes à courant continu est démontrée. Les variations d'impédance en fonction des techniques instrumentales sont également ètudiées et une méthode réduisant l'artéfact sujet-terre est proposée.

Les techniques instrumentales étudiées peuvent ègalement être appliquées à d'autres mesures concernant les variations de bio-impédance.

Zusammenfussung

Der Impedanzpneumograph misst indirekt die Atmung durch Registrierung der Bioimpedanz. Mit Hilfe von oberflächlichen Thoraxelektroden wird Atmungsvolumen und-geschwindigkeit gemessen; dabei wird die Beziehung der Atemtiefe zu Änderungen der Thoraximpedanz ausgenutzt. Die vorliegende Arbeit beschäftigt sich mit der Entwicklung der Impedanzpneumographie und der pneumographischen instrumentellen Verfahren. Die Vor-und Nachteile von Geräten mit Brückenschaltung, moduliertem Oszillator, konstanter Spannung, Spannungsteiler und mit konstanter Stromstärke werden erörtert; die Verfahren mit Brückenschaltung und mit konstanter Stromstärke werden als besonders brauchbar bewertet. Der Einfluss der jeweiligen apparativen Technik auf die Impedanzänderungen wird untersucht, und es wird eine Methode zur Verringerung der durch die Versuchsanordnung bedingten Störungen gezeigt.

Die beschriebenen instrumentellen Verfahren sind auch zu anderen Messungen von Bioimpedanzänderungen geeignet.

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Abbreviations

Z :

electrical impedance (ω)

Z s :

thoracic impedance of subject (at carrier frequency), alsoZ 0 orZ 1 (ω)

Q:

quality factor, ratio of reactance to resistance (dimensionless)

R e (Z) :

real component ofZ (ω)

I m (Z) :

imaginary component ofZ (ω)

ϱ:

phase angle (°)

R :

resistance (ω)

X c :

capacitive reactance (ω)

ΔZ :

impedance change (ω)

ΔZ :

magnitude of impedance change (ω)

ΔZ :

change of magnitude of impedance (ω)

Δ ϱ:

phase angle change (°)

ΔR :

resistance change (ω)

ΔX c :

capacitive reactance change (ω)

e :

equivalent a.c. source voltage (v)

I 1 andI 2 :

designating current electrodes

E 1 andE 2 :

designating voltage electrodes

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Space Engineering Department, Beckman Instruments, Inc., Fullerton, California, USA

    Allan F. Pacela S.B., M.S. (Senior Project Engineer for Physiological Instrumentation)

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  1. Allan F. Pacela S.B., M.S.
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Pacela, A.F. Impedance pneumography—A survey of instrumentation techniques. Med. & biol. Engng. 4, 1–15 (1966). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02474783

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