BIOELECTRICAL IMPEDANCE ANALYSIS REVISITED

DM Mikes, BA Cha, CL Dym, J Baumgaertner, AG Hartzog, AD Tacey, MR Calabria

Abstract


Although total limb volume measurements are used to track the progress of lymphedemaand its treatment, these measurements can be confounded by changes other than fluid excessnamely muscle or fat gain. Bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) is a technique that specificallyquantifies both total body fluid and extracellular fluid in extremities. Whereas BIA has potentialas a quick, inexpensive, and quantitative technique to measure directly fluid gain or loss fromlymphedema, it also has certain shortcomings that must be addressed before it can be validated.This paper examines the background that explains why measuring total limb volume isinsufficient to quantify the extent of peripheral lymphedema and explores the advantages anddrawbacks of using BIA for this purpose.

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