Bioimpedance and its role in contemporary medical diagnosis

Session organizer

Prof. Ewaryst Tkacz, Silesian University of Technology

Session scope

Bioimpedance measurements have a history in Poland, as they have been the subject of research for many years at least for several research teams in the country. The precursors were undoubtedly scientists from the Warsaw University of Technology gathered around professors: Tadeusz Pałko and Grzegorz Pawlicki, and currently prof. Gerard Cybulski and his team. At the beginning of the 21st century, together with the Foundation for the Development of Cardiac Surgery, we implemented a project financed by the Committee for Scientific Research concerning the development of a method for early detection of transplant heart rejection based on a properly constructed "bioimpedance portrait".

We are currently in the final stage of the project on the so-called home calculation of hemodynamic parameters such as stroke volume and cardiac output. The developed system is to be attached to a miniature electrocardiograph, which in turn will make the home doctor able to perform a fairly comprehensive cardiological examination without the use of ultrasound.

In turn, as part of the Accelerator in Horizon Europe program, we were invited to participate in a two-stage competition called "Cardiovice", an important element of which will be the implementation of bioimpedance measurements at the 9th technological readiness level (TLR) for detecting fluid in the lungs. The developed method is currently being intensively tested and, based on the research conducted so far, it should be stated that it has very good prognosis.