Introduction: Electrical impedance tomography (EIT) is a noninvasive, radiation-free, bedside tool to monitor ventilation distribution in real time.
Objective: To evaluate, in pediatric COVID-19 patients, the ventilation distribution using EIT and compare it to thoracic computed tomography (TCT) or chest radiograph results obtained in these patients.
Methods: This was a prospective, observational clinical study including pediatric patients admitted to the intensive care unit of a private hospital. The patients monitored with EIT tested positive for COVID-19 and were submitted to the previously mentioned radiation exams. EIT monitoring lasted 15 min and no sedation was used.
Results: Six patients were included in this study. The main differences observed in the EIT were in the right-left distribution and were compatible with the morphological changes found in the TCT or radiograph images due to COVID-19 infection.
Conclusion: We conclude that EIT is ready to investigate the ventilatory profile present at different lung diseases, including COVID-19, and might postpone or mitigate the need of repeated ionizing radiation exams in the pediatric population, although larger pediatric cohorts comparing to standard radiological imaging are needed.
Keywords: COVID-19; Computed tomography; Electrical impedance tomography; Pediatric intensive care.
© 2021. The Author(s).