Non-invasive blood pressure as an application of electrical impedance: a short review

Electrical bioimpedance (EBI) has gained importance as a diagnostic technique in medicine to determine the electrical properties of tissues. For example, it has been used in tissue characterization, cancer detection, and electromyography. Some of the characteristics of EBI are its low cost, the absence of irradiation during the measurement process, and its non-invasive nature. In this sense, there is interest in developing medical equipment that performs non-invasive measurements of blood pressure (BP). Electrical Impedance Plethysmography (EIP) is a technique commonly used to extract the waveform associated with BP. In this short review, we will cover research articles published in peer-reviewed journals during the last decades, and show developments in the area of EIP, with a brief discussion of relevant results and current challenges.

Development and evaluation of a low cost 8-electrode Electrical Impedance Tomography system

Electrical impedance tomography (EIT) is a medical imaging modality that considers the electrical properties of tissues to obtain a conductivity distribution of a region of interest using the level of resistance it presents to the passage of a small electrical current. This work describes the design of an 8-electrode EIT prototype that offers the possibility of changing the excitation parameters and freedom of movement of the demodulation synchrony by means of conventional electronics. The image reconstruction obtained can locate disturbances in the study medium using the adjacent electrode method. A comparison of the voltage measurements acquired on a homogeneous test medium in two different collection cycles was implemented to determine the precision of the system. The data obtained indicate a maximum error percentage of 2.6% between measurements, which represents an acceptable first approach towards the design of a device with greater stability and precision.

Mathematical modeling of biological tissues electrical conductivity based on the ion electrodiffusion equations

Problem formulating. The vital processes of biological tissues are closely related to their electrical properties. An important task is to create a physical and mathematical model that will link the electrical properties of tissues to their physiological state. Goal. Construction of a model of biological tissue electrical properties based on the equations of ion electrodiffusion. Result. The paper presents the model of biological tissue electrical properties based on the ion electrodiffusion equations, and compares the simulation results with the experimental results presented in the literature. Practical meaning. The presented model can be used to describe processes occurring in tissue at the level of concentration and conductivity of ions in individual cells and cell membranes. In particular, the process of tissue degradation during laser radiation heating can be described.

Review on Electrical Impedance Tomography: Artificial Intelligence Methods and its Applications

Electrical impedance tomography (EIT) has been a hot topic among researchers for the last 30 years. It is a new imaging method and has evolved over the last few decades. By injecting a small amount of current, the electrical properties of tissues are determined and measurements of the resulting voltages are taken. By using a reconstructing algorithm these voltages then transformed into a tomographic image. EIT contains no identified threats and as compared to magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and computed tomography (CT) scans (imaging techniques), it is cheaper in cost as well. In this paper, a comprehensive review of efforts and advancements undertaken and achieved in recent work to improve this technology and the role of artificial intelligence to solve this non-linear, ill-posed problem are presented. In addition, a review of EIT clinical based applications has also been presented.

Incorporation of Conductive Materials into Hydrogels for Tissue Engineering Applications

In the field of tissue engineering, conductive hydrogels have been the most effective biomaterials to mimic the biological and electrical properties of tissues in the human body. The main advantages of conductive hydrogels include not only their physical properties but also their adequate electrical properties, which provide electrical signals to cells efficiently. However, when introducing a conductive material into a non-conductive hydrogel, a conflicting relationship between the electrical and mechanical properties may develop. This review examines the strengths and weaknesses of the generation of conductive hydrogels using various conductive materials such as metal nanoparticles, carbons, and conductive polymers. The fabrication method of blending, coating, and in situ polymerization is also added. Furthermore, the applications of conductive hydrogel in cardiac tissue engineering, nerve tissue engineering, and bone tissue engineering and skin regeneration are discussed in detail.

Incorporation of Conductive Materials into Hydrogels for Tissue Engineering Applications

In the field of tissue engineering, conductive hydrogels have been the most effective biomaterials to mimic the biological and electrical properties of tissues in the human body. The main advantages of conductive hydrogel include not only its physical properties, but also its adequate electrical properties, thus providing electrical signals to cells efficiently. However, when introducing a conductive material into a non-conductive hydrogel, a conflicting relationship between the electrical and mechanical properties may develop. This review examines the strengths and weaknesses of the generation of conductive hydrogels using various conductive materials and introduces the use of these conductive hydrogels in tissue engineering applications.