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Updated: Jun 22, 2025
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Monitoring Lung Function with Electrical Impedance Tomography in the Intensive Care Unit
Published on: September 6, 2024
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Sex differences in chest electrical impedance tomography findings
I Frerichs1, C Händel1, T Becher1
1Department of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine, University Medical Centre Schleswig-Holstein, Campus Kiel, Kiel, Germany.
Physiological Measurement
|July 3, 2024
Summary
Biological sex significantly influences lung ventilation distribution detected by electrical impedance tomography (EIT) in adults. Men show more uneven ventilation patterns compared to women, highlighting the need to consider sex in EIT analysis.
Area of Science:
- Respiratory Physiology
- Medical Imaging Technology
Background:
- Electrical impedance tomography (EIT) is a well-established non-invasive imaging technique for assessing regional lung ventilation distribution in humans.
- Despite its widespread use, the impact of biological sex on EIT-derived ventilation patterns has been largely unexplored.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate whether biological sex influences the spatial distribution of lung ventilation as measured by EIT during quiet breathing in adults.
- To identify potential sex-specific differences in ventilation patterns using established EIT metrics.
Main Methods:
- 218 healthy adults (120 men, 98 women) underwent EIT assessment in a sitting position with electrodes placed around the lower chest.
- EIT data were recorded during quiet breathing, and regional tidal impedance variations were analyzed.
- Key EIT measures including center of ventilation (CoVvd, Covrl), fraction of ventilation (dorsal, right), and ventilation defect score were calculated.
Main Results:
- Significant sex differences were observed in the right-to-left distribution of ventilation (Covrl, p<0.0001; right fraction, p=0.0004).
- Ventilation distribution in the ventrodorsal direction also showed significant differences (Covvd, p=0.0364).
- A higher prevalence of ventilation defects (score > 1) was found in men (42.5%) compared to women (16.6%).
Conclusions:
- Biological sex is a significant factor affecting regional lung ventilation distribution assessed by EIT in the chest region.
- Observed sex differences may be attributed to variations in chest anatomy and thoracoabdominal mechanics.
- These findings underscore the importance of considering biological sex when interpreting EIT data, particularly in upright individuals and with caudal electrode placement.
