The Wireless Chest-Patch RF Sensors and Measurement System for Assessing Fluid Accumulation in Lungs: A Gateway to Discovering the Mysteries of the Lung

Many medical, surgical, and pulmonary lung diseases including chronic heart failure, pulmonary hypertension, Acute Respiratory Disorder Syndrome (ARDS), and kidney failure are associated with fluid accumulation in lungs. The cornerstone for managing these diseases is assessing patients’ volume fluid status in lungs. Current methods for measuring lung water content are either expensive, invasive, or inaccurate. To overcome these limitations, we invented the Cardio-Pulmonary Stethoscope (CPS), a wireless chest patch radio frequency (RF) sensors technology. This chapter reviews four decades of research that led to the development and clinical validation of the CPS system, including recent data from a National Institute of Health-funded clinical trial. The CPS system utilizes highly penetrating RF signals to assess lung water content and transmit the results, along with vital signs, to mobile devices or the Internet for remote monitoring. The chapter also highlights exciting new applications of the CPS system, including monitoring COVID-19 patients and using artificial intelligence (AI) models to assess lung water status in addition to the change of lung water content. The chapter concludes with an assessment of a new application of the CPS system for noninvasive intracardiac blood pressure monitoring in patients.