LOCALIZED TISSUE WATER CHANGES ACCOMPANYING ONE MANUAL LYMPHATIC DRAINAGE (MLD) THERAPY SESSION ASSESSED BY CHANGES IN TISSUE DIELECTRIC CONSTANT INPATIENTS WITH LOWER EXTREMITY LYMPHEDEMA

Abstract

Previous reports described the utility ofassessing local tissue water via tissue dielectricconstant (TDC) measurements. Our goalwas to determine the suitability of this methodto evaluate lymphedema changes. For thispurpose, we measured changes in TDCproduced by one MLD treatment in 27 legs of18 patients with lower extremity lymphedema.TDC values were measured to a depth of 2.5mm at the greatest leg swelling site before andafter one MLD treatment. Girth at the targetsite was measured with a calibrated tapemeasure. TDC values, which range from 1 forzero water to 78.5 for all water within thesampled volume, were measured four timesand the average used to estimate local changes.Results showed that in every case the posttreatmentTDC was reduced from its pretreatmentvalue with percentage reductions(mean SD) of -9.8 ± 5.64% (p<0.0001). Girthchanges were smaller being -1.5 ± 1.93%(p<0.01). We conclude that since TDCmeasurements reflect changes to a depth ofabout 2.5 mm whereas girth measurementsreflect conditions of the entire cross-section,TDC assessment may be more sensitive tolocalized lymphedema changes. This findingsuggests that TDC measurements are usefulas complementary and perhaps as independentassessment methods of edema/lymphedemaand treatment-related changes.