Evaluation of leg edema using a multifrequency impedance meter in patients with lymphatic obstruction

To evaluate quantitatively local edema, electrical tissue impedance in the leg was measured with a multifrequency impedance meter in 10 patients without edema and in 10 other patients with lymphedema after hysterectomy for uterine cervical cancer (Groups 1 and 2, respectively). Equivalent resistivity of extra- and intracellular fluid (RE, RI, respectively) and the ratio RI/RE were calculated. The difference in mean RE between Groups 1 and 2 was significant (p less than 0.05). In four patients in Group 1 and nine in Group 2, simultaneous measurements were carried out on both legs. The differences between mean RE and RI/RE in Group 2 were significant (p less than 0.05, p less than 0.025, respectively). In these 13 patients, correlation coefficients between the ratio of cross-sectional areas of both legs, and both RE and RI/RE were -0.614 (p less than 0.05) and 0.805 (p less than 0.001), respectively. The results suggest that RE and RI/RE could be used as sensitive indicators of local edema.