An interdigitated capacitive sensor for early detection of contrast media extravasation

Abstract

Contrast Media Extravasation (CMEV) is a well-known complication of intravenous administration of contrast media during computed tomography (CT) scans. It refers to the leakage of contrast media from the blood vessel into the surrounding soft tissues. As contrast media are vesicant solutions, extravasation can result in the development of adverse side effects such as erythema, tissue necrosis, and compartment syndrome. Therefore, there is an urgent clinical need to develop a device that can detect extravasation early and minimize the severity of extravasation injuries. In this work, we present a cost-effective and wearable sensor patch to aid in the early detection of extravasation via capacitive sensing. The technical feasibility of the proposed sensor was then evaluated through a series of bench-top tests and ex-vivo tests. The results showed that the sensor patch is able to distinguish between normal contrast media administration and contrast media extravasation scenarios. Our proposed sensor has shown potential for early detection of CMEV, with a decrease in capacitance being a promising indicator of extravasation. This sensor also has the potential to reduce the occurrence of extravasation events in the hospital, especially for patients at risk of extravasation. Future work includes optimizing the sensor and validating it through a clinical trial to bring it a step closer to actual commercial use.