title: Identifying oesophageal contents using electrical impedance tomography.
abstract: Investigations have been carried out using the Sheffield mark II real-time EIT system, to look at changes in conductivity associated with swallowing. A ring of 16 electrodes was placed around the neck of 10 subjects, who then performed swallows with four liquids of different conductivities, ranging from water (sigma = 0.03 mS cm-1) to salty soup (sigma = 35.8 mS cm-1). Results showed that the conductive and non-conductive liquids could be distinguished. Bolus transit times were calculated from region of interest curves, and the average transit time for the 10 subjects was found to be 320 +/- 100 ms.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Physics and Clinical Engineering, University of Sheffield, Royal Hallamshire Hospital, UK.
authors.forename: R A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Erol
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Mangnall
authors.forename: A D
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Leathard
authors.forename: R H
authors.initials: RH
authors.lastname: Smallwood
authors.forename: B H
authors.initials: BH
authors.lastname: Brown
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Cherian
authors.forename: K D
authors.initials: KD
authors.lastname: Bardhan
mesh_terms: D003679:Deglutition / Q000502:physiology*; D017097:Electric Impedance; D004566:Electrodes; D004947:Esophagus / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male