Modern medical diagnostics is increasingly reaching for modern, non-invasive imaging methods, which provide greater safety for patients and enable faster and more accurate diagnosis of diseases. One of the most promising technologies in this area is electrical impedance tomography (EIT), which allows for monitoring lung function in real time, without the need to use ionizing radiation
The latest studies presented an innovative diagnostic system LETS (Lung Electrical Tomography System), using a mobile vest equipped with 32 electrodes. This solution allows for extremely precise identification of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), achieving classification efficiency of up to 98%. The key component of the system is the LETS vest, integrating a matrix of electrodes that record changes in tissue impedance within the chest. Thanks to the use of the finite element method and advanced computational algorithms, the system generates three-dimensional models of the lungs, enabling precise mapping of their anatomy and identification of areas affected by pathology.
The system is based on safe measurement of the distribution of voltages generated by small currents introduced into the body by the electrodes of the vest. The obtained data is processed in real time and used to create a tetrahedral mesh that maps the structure of the lungs and chest. The use of machine learning techniques allows for the identification of characteristic changes in electrical conductivity typical of COPD.
The research team responsible for the development of the LETS system developed and tested three classification models: logistic regression, the effectiveness of which almost reached 100%, the Gradient Boosting algorithm, which did not make any errors on the test set, and the naive Bayes classifier, achieving an accuracy of 97%. These results confirm the exceptional diagnostic potential of the system, the accuracy of which clearly exceeds the capabilities of traditional methods.
The importance of this technology is particularly important in the context of the scale of the problem. COPD is currently the fourth leading cause of death in the world, and around two million people in Poland suffer from it. Standard diagnostic techniques, such as spirometry, require medical facilities and do not offer continuous monitoring. In contrast, the LETS system provides full mobility, allowing tests to be carried out in out-of-hospital conditions. Thanks to its non-invasiveness, lack of radiation emissions, speed of operation and ability to detect changes at a very early stage of disease development, it can significantly improve the quality of patient care.
EIT technology combined with intelligent data analysis systems creates new possibilities in the diagnosis of respiratory diseases. The LETS vest, as a highly advanced tool for digital medicine, is a breakthrough in monitoring lung condition and opens the way to a future in which precise, fast and safe diagnostics will be available to a wide range of patients. Further research on this technology may contribute to its application in detecting other respiratory diseases.
Source: “Detecting lung diseases with electrical impedance tomography”, Przegląd Elektrotechniczny, 2025.
https://pe.org.pl/articles/2025/1/36.pdf