Chest physiotherapy guided by electrical impedance tomography in high-dependency unit patients with pulmonary diseases: an introduction of methodology and feasibility

Abstract

Chest physiotherapy (CPT) has been widely used as an adjunctive treatment to facilitate airway clearance and promote effective coughing [1]. Previous studies indicated that CPT could improve lung function and prevent ventilator-associated pneumonia [2]. One main challenging issue with current CPT practice is that the objective assessment of ventilation distribution is missing [3]. Consequently, the CPT plan is not fully personalized according to individual needs.