A large number of hospitals in China have conducted scientific research to verify the adaptability of local tissue moisture indicators for detecting and quantifying edema in patients after mastectomy. However, there are difficulties in selecting instruments for trunk moisture detection and doubts about the accuracy of data.

As early as abroad, the skin moisture detection instrument series from Finland's Delfin has appeared as medical devices in scientific research literature in major countries. Although the models of the foreign medical device version LymphScanner and the domestic non-medical device versions MoistureMeterD, MoistureMeterD Compact, and MoistureMeterEpiD are different, due to the same operating principle, MoistureMeterD can also be used in research related to tissue edema and lymphedema in China. It has relevantEC certificate, 93/42/EEC directive.

The Delfin moisture detection series includes:

Deflin technology achieves non-invasive, precise, and rapid detection of tissue moisture

In two papers by H.N. Merovitz from Nova Southeastern University School of Medicine in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, USA, "Evaluation of Local Tissue Edema in Post mastectomy Lymphatic Edema" and "Tissue Dielectric Constant Ratio as a Method for Describing Trunk Lymphatic Edema" were validated for their applicability in the medical diagnosis of lymphedema using MoistureMeterD.

1. Evaluation of Local Tissue Edema in Lymphatic Edema after Breast Resection

Subject positioning and measurement. After the subject sits down, a reference point is placed 7 centimeters outside the forearm at the elbow socket. Use four different sized probes (corresponding to depths of 0.5 mm, 1.5 mm, 2.5 mm, and 5.0 mm) to measure tissue water content at these locations. The probe with a depth of 2.5 millimeters is shown in Figure B. The upper and lower dashed lines in Figure A represent the volume of the segments included in the analysis.

The table shows the measured values of the volume and tissue dielectric constant of each segment of the arm

Depth variation of organizational dielectric constant

Organizational dielectric constant ratio

Comparison of segmental volume and tissue dielectric constant

Based on the above researchAttempt to explore the use of this tissue dielectric constant method and equipment to evaluate the possibility of local tissue edema in patients with lymphedema.

The research results indicate that this method can serve as a rapid quantitative assessment tool for recording the condition of lymphedema.

2. The ratio of tissue dielectric constant as a method for describing trunk lymphedema

The purpose of this study is not to answer such questions, but to provide some reference ratios for lymphedema patients to compare based on. This has been achieved for three actual high-risk contralateral ratios (chest chest, chest forearm, and biceps brachii).

One potential limitation of this method is that the generation of the reference ratio used is based on a clear and singular anatomical site. If the patient's trunk lymphedema occurs in areas that do not affect the lateral chest, then the ratio determined here is unlikely to be useful. According to information from the National Lymphatic Edema Network, trunk lymphedema may occur in the breasts, chest, lateral chest, armpits, or back, but the relative frequency of onset in different areas is not very clear.

Clarifying this information will help in selecting more sites for characteristic studies of TDC or other methods in future research. However, the most urgent need at present is to evaluate the existing proportion described in patients diagnosed with lymphedema. The current expected difficulty of this method is the lack of a true gold standard. Firstly, the assessment will depend on the patient's symptoms and clinical evaluation, including palpation examinations for fibrosis, depression, and tissue quality. But this method may be challenging because according to a recent review, clinical evaluations of the trunk have not yet been studied for their diagnostic utility.

3. Published in BMC Nephrology《The use of wearable monitors and skin hydration sensors for non-invasive assessment of volume status in patients with end-stage renal disease also utilizes the MoistureMeter epidermal hydration sensor（Delfin Technologies）Participate in scientific research verification

4. In China, the Chinese Journal of Plastic Surgery, Volume 38, Issue 08, August 2022《Comprehensive swelling reduction treatment with manual lymphatic drainage improves elephantiasis and skin textureEffect AnalysisChina also used Finland's Delfin detection instrument to explore the effect of comprehensive anti swelling treatment with manual lymphatic drainage on improving elephantiasis and skin texture.

Literature record measurement indicators:

recordThe skin texture (skin moisture content, transdermal water evaporation rate, degree of skin fibrosis), limb circumference, segmental moisture, subjective sensory changes, and use of elastic materials before and on the day after the last treatment. 1. Skin texture: The local skin moisture content before and after treatment of both lower limbs was measured using a LymphScanner (Delfin, Finland) [2], the transdermal moisture evaporation rate was measured using a Vapometer (Delfin, Finland) [3], and the degree of skin fibrosis was measured using a SkinFibroMeter (Delfin, Finland) [4-6]. The LymphScanner uses the principle of dielectric constant for measurement, and the test results are displayed in terms of percentage water content (PWC); The Vapometer uses skin permeability testing to analyze the rate of skin moisture evaporation, and the test results are expressed in g · m2 · h-1. The SkinFibroMeter uses the biomechanical response of skin and epithelial tissue to external forces to analyze the degree of skin tissue fibrosis, and the unit of force used in the test results is N. All three instruments are point touch operated and measured using the 5-point method, which includes the midpoints of the dorsum of the foot, the anterior and posterior midpoints of the calf, and the anterior and posterior midpoints of the thigh. Each point is measured three times and the average value is taken. The 5-point average is the skin texture value of the limb. The test results of the three instruments are represented by the difference between the affected limb and the healthy limb, which represents the skin moisture content, transdermal water evaporation rate, and degree of skin fibrosis of the affected limb.

From the above numerous literature data, it can be seen that Delfin's moisture detection series in Finland is even accurate for detecting tissue hardeningIt has significant value and played an important role in the exploration of lymphedema