![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/Kamran_with_3d_model.jpg\")
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NIST researcher Kamran Sayrafian uses a computer model in a NIST visualization lab.<\/p>\n
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NIST<\/p>\n
A few years ago, I heard on the news that many people were being hospitalized with a condition of excess fluid in the lungs, called pulmonary edema<\/a>. It\u2019s common in elderly patients. Pulmonary edema is dangerous and can lead to breathing difficulties and lung failure. Since it has the potential to develop suddenly, it can be a serious medical emergency.\u00a0<\/p>\n As a NIST researcher interested in the application of technology in health care, I wondered: Is there a way to monitor this condition at home with a simple wearable device?\u00a0<\/p>\n Specifically, I was curious if the excess fluid in the lungs affects the electrical properties of the lung\u2019s tissues in a way that can be sensed through radio frequency waves with a wearable device. The idea was to put a pair of wearable sensors on the patient\u2019s chest and back. The devices would connect wirelessly through the lungs to monitor the change in the amount of liquid.\u00a0<\/p>\n If the device detected the onset of pulmonary edema, it could alert the patient or their caregiver to contact a medical professional. The tool could also potentially send that information directly to the health care provider via a smartphone or other device.\u00a0<\/p>\n I consulted with an expert from the National Institutes of Health on whether such a device would be helpful in practice. He confirmed that it would be in two ways. The device could provide regular screening of people susceptible to pulmonary edema. It would also be a useful tool to monitor patients who have been discharged from the hospital as they recover from this condition at home.\u00a0<\/p>\n This simple idea led to an interesting research project.\u00a0<\/p>\n Creating a Wearable Monitor<\/p>\n The first task was to create computational models of the lungs with different levels of excess fluid. The models needed to effectively capture the impact of excess fluid on the lungs\u2019 electrical properties.<\/p>\n Another challenge we faced in this process was extending our computational models to incorporate an additional variable \u2014 breathing. This is needed since the amount of air in the lungs, in addition to the excess fluid, affects radio frequency waves. The air in the lungs ebbs and flows during breathing, so the amount varies. We needed to account for this in our model.\u00a0<\/p>\n Our collaborator at the Duke University School of Medicine provided anatomical models based on CT scan data of patients\u2019 breathing. That information allowed us to create another sequence of 3D computational models. These models helped us to capture the impact of the air during inhalation and exhalation on the electrical properties of the lungs.\u00a0<\/p>\n Using that research, we showed the feasibility of the underlying idea. In other words, a simple, wireless wearable technology could monitor the variation of the fluid in the lung and alert the patient or the doctor when it exceeds a certain level.<\/p>\n While we\u2019re excited about our progress so far, there\u2019s still much work to be done before this technology is available to doctors and patients. Once we finish our comprehensive study and performance evaluation of the concept, we\u2019ll have to work with a company interested in building a device prototype.\u00a0<\/p>\n Once the prototype is ready, the manufacturer will have to run a clinical trial to test the product\u2019s safety and performance. Often, this process leads to adjustment or modification of the prototype. The final stage would be the manufacturing and sale of the device.\u00a0<\/p>\n NIST researcher Kamran Sayrafian developed a computational model of the lungs with different levels of excess fluid. The long-term goal is to develop a device that could alert the patient or medical provider when it detects pulmonary edema in the user\u2019s lungs.<\/p>\n \n Credit:<\/p>\n NIST<\/p>\n After I started this project, I learned more about pulmonary edema from the perspective of a family member. My mother had two episodes of this condition, one of which required the help of emergency services. \u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n Some known symptoms of pulmonary edema<\/a> include coughs, wheezing and shortness of breath. However, for elderly patients who might also suffer from other underlying conditions, it is sometimes unclear whether those symptoms are due to pulmonary edema or an unrelated issue.\u00a0<\/p>\n I found it quite stressful to wonder whether my mom\u2019s symptoms were pulmonary edema or something less serious. I imagine the same would be true for other caregivers. Therefore, I hope a wearable product to monitor this condition would help patients, their families and their doctors. \u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n The IoT Comes to Your Doctor\u2019s Office\u00a0<\/p>\n![\"Kamran](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/kamran_sarifyan_2025_office_portrait.png\")
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