# Initial Experience of Noninvasive Quantification of Pulmonary Congestion Utilizing the Remote Dielectric Sensing System in Pediatric Patients with Heart Failure

## TL;DR

This study explores the use of a noninvasive technology called ReDS to measure lung congestion in children with heart failure, showing promising results.

## Contribution

The study is the first to evaluate ReDS in pediatric patients, demonstrating its feasibility and potential for detecting subclinical congestion.

## Key findings

- ReDS values correlated moderately with chest X-ray-based congestion scores in pediatric patients.
- A stronger correlation was observed in patients with ReDS values above 35%.
- ReDS successfully measured pulmonary congestion in all participants without failure.

## Abstract

Background/Objectives: Remote dielectric sensing (ReDS) is a recently developed, noninvasive, electromagnetic energy-based technology designed to quantify pulmonary congestion without requiring expert techniques in adult patients with heart failure. However, its applicability in pediatric patients remains unknown. Methods: ReDS values and chest X-rays were simultaneously obtained from pediatric patients with a history of Fontan surgery at an outpatient clinic. The Congestion Severity Index (CSI) was calculated from chest X-rays to analyze its correlation with ReDS values. Results: A total of 21 pediatric patients (median age: 17 years; median height: 152.7 cm; median weight: 48.6 kg; 12 male patients) were included. ReDS values were successfully measured in all participants without any measurement failure. A mild correlation was observed between ReDS values and CSIs (r = 0.47, p = 0.030). In patients with ReDS values exceeding 35% (N = 11), a stronger correlation was noted between ReDS values and CSIs (r = 0.61, p = 0.046). In patients with ReDS values ≤ 35% (N = 10), ReDS values exhibited a wide distribution (25% to 35%) despite low CSI values. Conclusions: The ReDS system demonstrates potential as a feasible technology for the noninvasive quantification of pulmonary congestion in pediatric patients, irrespective of the severity of congestion. Notably, the ReDS system may have the potential to identify subclinical pulmonary congestion in pediatric patients with heart failure.