COMPARISON OF UPPER LIMB VOLUME MEASUREMENT TECHNIQUES AND ARM SYMPTOMS BETWEEN HEALTHY VOLUNTEERS AND INDIVIDUALS WITH KNOWN LYMPHEDEMA

Abstract

Lymphedema is a problem for breast cancer survivors. The proliferation of limbmeasurement techniques makes it difficult to know how best to measure an at-risk limb. Using asample of healthy volunteers and individuals with lymphedema, this study: 1) examined therelationship between more commonly used circumferential limb measurement methods andnewer measurement methods of infrared laser perometry and bioelectrical impedance; 2)compared self-reported arm symptoms in healthy volunteers and breast cancer survivors withknown lymphedema; and 3) explored the relationships among self-reported arm symptoms andcircumferential tape measurement, infrared laser (perometry), and single and multi-frequencybioelectrical impedance. Lymphedema index ratios were calculated to allow comparison amongmeasurement methods. Measurement methods correlated strongly with each other. Fourteensymptoms were reported by one or more participants in the lymphedema group whileparticipants in the healthy volunteer group reported only eight symptoms over the same timeframes. Using p#0.001, all measurement methods correlated with self-reported arm swelling inthe past year, while only circumferential and impedance measurements correlated with firmness.Future research needs to include serial arm measurements to explore arm volume variation inhealthy and lymphedema volunteers and to further investigate possible lymphedema index ratioscut points as lymphedema diagnostic criteria.