A 3D Reconstruction Algorithm for Real-time Simultaneous Multi-Source EIT Imaging for Lung Function Monitoring

Monitoring regional pulmonary ventilation and pulsatile perfusion changes in a 3D region of interest (ROI) of the lung is a promising application for electrical impedance tomogra-phy (EIT). This paper describes a 3D analytical reconstruction algorithm that was embed-ded in a prototype EIT system to enable a real-time image reconstruction at nearly 20 frames per second for monitoring impedance changes in the chest in real-time. The deriva-tion and results of the 3D analytical forward solution and inverse solution and details of the real-time reconstruction algorithm are given. The algorithm and EIT system are validat-ed with simulated data, in-vitro phantoms, and finally shown to be capable of imaging ventilation and pulsatile perfusion in human subjects. The human subject data was ob-tained using a high-precision, high-speed and simultaneous multiple current source (SMS-EIT) developed by GE Research. Data was collected using four rows of 8 electrodes for a healthy adult male subject and 2 rows of 16 electrodes for six healthy human female sub-jects, with one row placed above the breasts and a second row placed at the infra-mammary fold. Each of the female subjects performed a breathing maneuver with a volumetric incen-tive spirometer, and the volume of air inhaled was calculated from the EIT images. Pulsa-tile perfusion images were computed from this data, and regional lung filling was also analyzed.