Tuberc Respir Dis.  2011 Jul;71(1):30-36.

Usefulness of Vibration Response Imaging (VRI) for Pneumonia Patients

• Park E
• Park JH
• Hong MJ
• Kim WD
• Lee KY
• Kim SJ
• Kim HJ
• Ha KW
• Chon GR
• Kim HA
• Yoo KH

Abstract

BACKGROUND
Pneumonia is commonly seen in outpatient clinics. it is widely known as the most common cause of death from infectious disease. Pneumonia has been diagnosed by its typical symptoms, chest X-ray and blood tests. However, both chest X-rays and blood tests have limitations in diagnosis. Thus primary care clinicians usually have been constrained due to a lack of adequate diagnostic tools. Vibration response imaging (VRI) is a newly emerging diagnostic modality, and its procedure is non-invasive, radiation-free, and easy to handle. This study was designed to evaluate the diagnostic usefulness of the VRI test among pneumonia patients and to consider its correlation with other conventional tests such as Chest X-ray, laboratory tests and clinical symptoms.
METHODS
VRI was performed in 46 patients diagnosed with pneumonia in Konkuk University Medical Center. VRI was assessed in a private and quiet room twice: before and after the treatment. Sensors for VRI were placed on a patient's back at regular intervals; they detected pulmonary vibration energy produced when respiration occurred and presented as specific images. Any modifications either in chest X-ray, C-reactive protein (CRP), white blood cell count (WBC) or body temperature were compared with changes in VRI image during a given time course.
RESULTS
VRI, chest X-ray and CRP scores were significantly improved after treatment. Correlation between VRI and other tests was not clearly indicated among all patients. But relatively severe pneumonia patients showed correlations between VRI and chest X-ray, as well as between VRI and CRP.
CONCLUSION
This study demonstrates that VRI can be safely applied to patients with pneumonia.

Keyword

Repiratory Sounds; Vibration; Pneumonia

MeSH Terms

Academic Medical Centers
Ambulatory Care Facilities
Body Temperature
C-Reactive Protein
Cause of Death
Communicable Diseases
Hematologic Tests
Humans
Leukocyte Count
Pneumonia
Primary Health Care
Respiration
Thorax
Vibration
C-Reactive Protein

Figure

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  Figure 1 (A) Sensors of VRI device were scattered on patient's back at a regular extent; the sensors were enclosed by silicon cups and vacuum pressure inside was regularly controlled by a computer. Respiratory sound was initially filtered; then amplified into sound signal. The sound signal was recorded as digital signal that had been transduced from its original analogue signal. (B) Recorded signal was shown in black at high energy intensity, while it was in gray when low energy intensity. It was white when vibration was absent; it was indicated as blue dots when crackles with specific frequency at each sensor were detected. Also it was presented as red dots when wheezing was observed.

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  Figure 2 This above scatter diagram illustrated modifications in both VRI test and Chest X-ray in relatively severe pneumonia patient group with CURB-65 score of 1 point and more, which showed correlation (r=0.611, p-value=0.005). VRI: vibration response imaging; CURB: confusion, uremia, respiratory rate, blood pressure.

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  Figure 3 This above scatter diagram indicated modifications in both VRI test and Chest X-ray in relatively severe pneumonia patient group with CURB-65 score of 1 point and more, which showed correlation (r=0.509, p-value=0.022). CRP: C-reactive protein; VRI: vibration response imaging; CURB: confusion, uremia, respiratory rate, blood pressure.

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