Monitoring Leg Lymphedema Over the Course of Therapy Using an Infrared System

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Physical Therapy
• Medical Imaging

Background:

• Leg lymphedema monitoring is crucial for physical therapy efficacy.
• Traditional tape measurements are common but may lack precision for regional analysis.
• Objective assessment of leg volume changes is needed for effective lymphedema management.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the accuracy of a Kinect infrared (IR) sensor system for measuring leg circumferences and volumes in lymphedema patients.
• To compare Kinect IR system measurements with traditional tape measurements.
• To explore the utility of regional leg change analysis for assessing therapy uniformity and efficacy.

Main Methods:

• 38 lymphedema patients underwent leg volume measurements using both tape measure and Kinect IR system.
• Circumference changes in various leg regions were analyzed over therapy in 23 patients.
• Correlation and Bland-Altman analyses were performed to compare measurement methods.

Main Results:

• Kinect IR system measurements strongly correlated with tape measurements for both leg circumferences (R²=0.9522) and volumes (R²=0.9847).
• A minor correction factor was identified (1.6% bias).
• Leg volume reduction (>6.5%) was most pronounced distally.

Conclusions:

• The Kinect IR system is a viable clinical tool for monitoring leg lymphedema patients.
• Regional leg change analysis using this system can provide valuable insights to improve physical therapy efficacy.
• This technology offers a more detailed assessment compared to traditional methods.