Generation and detection of lung stress waves from the chest surface.

In anesthetized pigs, we generated stress' waves by imposing a distortion on the intercostal muscle between the 5th and 6th ribs. Stress waves were detected by two accelerometers, 5-7 cm apart, oriented in either the ventral-dorsal or cranial-caudal direction. Cross-spectral analysis was used to calculate transit time. Waves of velocities similar to those of lung shear waves were detected at transpulmonary pressures (Ptp) above 15 cmH2O in the nonedematous lung and above 25 cmH2O Ptp in the edematous lung. Waves were detected in the frequency range 9-40 Hz. Stress wave velocity increased from 287 +/- 24 (SD) cm/sec at 18 cmH2O Ptp to 342 +/- 41 cm/sec at 26 cmH2O Ptp, consistent with shear waves propagating in the lung having a shear modulus of 0.9 Ptp and lung density of 0.20 g/cm3. Stress wave velocities at 25 cmH2O Ptp decreased with the increases in lung density induced by alveolar edema, consistent with elasticity theory. An elasticity analysis showed the existence of lung-rib cage interfacial waves with properties similar to the measured stress waves.

[1]  M. Sato [Mechanical properties of living tissues]. , 1986, Iyo denshi to seitai kogaku. Japanese journal of medical electronics and biological engineering.

[2]  P K Bhagat,et al.  Propagation of stress waves in inflated sheep lungs. , 1989, Journal of applied physiology.

[3]  J. Hildebrandt Dynamic properties of air-filled excised cat lung determined by liquid plethysmograph. , 1969, Journal of applied physiology.

[4]  R. Pelker,et al.  Stress wave propagation in bone. , 1983, Journal of biomechanics.

[5]  Jan Drewes Achenbach,et al.  Dynamic Interaction of a Layer and a Half-Space , 1967 .

[6]  T A Wilson,et al.  Elastic constants of inflated lobes of dog lungs. , 1976, Journal of applied physiology.

[7]  Y. Fung,et al.  Biomechanics: Mechanical Properties of Living Tissues , 1981 .

[8]  D A Rice,et al.  Sound transfer function of the congested canine lung. , 1980, British journal of diseases of the chest.

[9]  P K Bhagat,et al.  Effect of vascular volume and edema on wave propagation in canine lungs. , 1990, Journal of applied physiology.

[10]  Julius S. Bendat,et al.  Engineering Applications of Correlation and Spectral Analysis , 1980 .

[11]  M Jahed,et al.  Stress wave velocity measured in intact pig lungs with cross-spectral analysis. , 1994, Journal of applied physiology.

[12]  S. Lai-Fook,et al.  Improved measurements of shear modulus and pleural membrane tension of the lung. , 1979, Journal of applied physiology: respiratory, environmental and exercise physiology.

[13]  L. Rayleigh On Waves Propagated along the Plane Surface of an Elastic Solid , 1885 .