Electrical impedance tomography based image reconstruction and feto-maternal monitoring in pregnancy

Abstract

Standard methods of monitoring the fetus and maternal health during labor are cardioto-cogram, tocography, ultrasound and magneto-cardiograpghy. These methods have some limi-tations in real time continuous monitoring and cause some degree of inconvenience to the pa-tient and demand special attendance of the ob-stetrician also these methods cannot be used for continuous monitoring of the fetal well being. To overcome the limitations of above techniques, a non-invasive bioimpedance measuring method is proposed. This technique helps in monitoring and recording of the electrical field distribution of a closed object. The output variation on the outer surface is likely to provide information because of fetal movements and related physio-logical parameters. It will also help in the de-velopment of Electrical Impedance Tomography based imaging technique for a closed body system with special reference to fetal monitor-ing in-utero during pregnancy and labor. Also we have developed the data acquisition system of 16 electrodes with software for image recon-struction.