Vibration Response Imaging (VRI) in Management and Evaluation in Patients With Pleural Effusion

The accumulation of excess fluid in the pleural cavity of the lungs, known as pleural effusion, is a common clinical condition that may be the result of trauma or disease. Diagnosis and management of pleural effusion can be done by X-Ray or ultrasound; however X-Ray emits radiation, requires a special room and expert personnel, while ultrasound requires a high level of expertise to perform and analyze. The VRI device is non-invasive and radiation free. The VRI device is a simple method to image the lungs in a regional manner to examine changes that occur during pleural effusion.

Comparison: X-ray and ultrasonography evaluations of pleural effusion, compared to VRI acoustic imaging evaluations.

Inclusion criteria

• Able and willing to read, understand, and provide written Informed Consent;
• Male or Female in the age range of 18-85 years;
• Subject is suspected to have pleural effusion;
• Body mass index (BMI) > 21.

Exclusion criteria

• Chest wall deformation;
• Spine deformation (including severe scoliosis);
• Hirsutism;
• Potentially contagious skin lesion on the back;
• Skin lesion that would interfere with sensor placement;
• Cardiac pacemaker or implantable defibrillator;