Assessment of electrode surface area in Electrical Impedance Myography study using Finite Element Method

Location

Nessmith-Lane Atrium

Session Format

Poster Presentation

Research Area Topic:

Engineering and Material Sciences - Electrical

Abstract

Electrical Impedance Myography (EIM) is a neurophysiologic technique which illustrates body tissue electrical properties by using a high frequency low intensity excitation current via surface electrode. Neuromuscular disorder alters these electrical properties which can be easily detected by analyzing the response of the excitation current. But, beside abnormal muscle condition, some other factors like subcutaneous fat thickness, muscle thickness and inter-electrode distance also deviate EIM parameters from normal pattern. This study is focused on the effect surface area (covered by the electrodes) has on EIM parameters, for different fat thickness.

Finite element method (FEM) is already established as an appropriate approach for analysis of non-symmetrical shape like muscle tissue for assessing alternations of muscle properties in disease-induced condition. In this study, we performed a frequency dependent alternating current study of a FEM model designed in COMSOL Multiphysics based on the cross-sectional view of human upper arm. The study was conducted for different angular coverage of rectangular electrodes of 7mm width to conclude if larger or smaller coverage area provides consistent data.

Considering the near circular appearance of arm model we have tried to define the area covered by an electrode as an angle of rotation. We performed the study for different fat thicknesses ranging from 5mm to 21 mm and considered the slope of the linear trend line as to be the factor which should be minimized to maintain a consistent result for normal muscle condition. As we can see from the Figure-1 increasing the area covered by electrodes results in smaller slope which means less percentage of deviation per millimeter fat thickness change.

The study was conducted on only 5 possible scenario which suggest that, to eliminate the effect of subcutaneous fat thickness on EIM parameters, we should yield to more electrode surface area coverage.

Presentation Type and Release Option

Presentation (Open Access)

Start Date

4-16-2016 2:45 PM

End Date

4-16-2016 4:00 PM

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Apr 16th, 2:45 PM Apr 16th, 4:00 PM

Assessment of electrode surface area in Electrical Impedance Myography study using Finite Element Method

Nessmith-Lane Atrium

Electrical Impedance Myography (EIM) is a neurophysiologic technique which illustrates body tissue electrical properties by using a high frequency low intensity excitation current via surface electrode. Neuromuscular disorder alters these electrical properties which can be easily detected by analyzing the response of the excitation current. But, beside abnormal muscle condition, some other factors like subcutaneous fat thickness, muscle thickness and inter-electrode distance also deviate EIM parameters from normal pattern. This study is focused on the effect surface area (covered by the electrodes) has on EIM parameters, for different fat thickness.

Finite element method (FEM) is already established as an appropriate approach for analysis of non-symmetrical shape like muscle tissue for assessing alternations of muscle properties in disease-induced condition. In this study, we performed a frequency dependent alternating current study of a FEM model designed in COMSOL Multiphysics based on the cross-sectional view of human upper arm. The study was conducted for different angular coverage of rectangular electrodes of 7mm width to conclude if larger or smaller coverage area provides consistent data.

Considering the near circular appearance of arm model we have tried to define the area covered by an electrode as an angle of rotation. We performed the study for different fat thicknesses ranging from 5mm to 21 mm and considered the slope of the linear trend line as to be the factor which should be minimized to maintain a consistent result for normal muscle condition. As we can see from the Figure-1 increasing the area covered by electrodes results in smaller slope which means less percentage of deviation per millimeter fat thickness change.

The study was conducted on only 5 possible scenario which suggest that, to eliminate the effect of subcutaneous fat thickness on EIM parameters, we should yield to more electrode surface area coverage.