Real-time, noninvasive breathing tube placement and 3D lung monitoring for newborns
Real-time noninvasive visualization of endotracheal tube placement and 3D lung monitoring in infants with electrical impedance tomography
Uses a harmless electrical imaging tool plus AI to instantly show whether a newborn's breathing tube is in the right place and how both lungs are ventilating.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Colorado State University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Fort Collins, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11285316 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
As a parent of a baby who may need a breathing tube, this project aims to put a noninvasive electrode belt on the baby at the bedside to create real-time 3D images of the lungs. The team combines electrical impedance tomography (EIT) imaging with deep learning to immediately indicate if the tube is in the trachea, too deep in one bronchus, or mistakenly in the esophagus. The same setup can continuously watch lung ventilation and warn staff about problems like inadvertent tube removal or pneumothorax. This approach avoids X-rays and gives instant feedback to clinicians in the NICU.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Newborn infants in the NICU (typically 0–4 weeks old) who require endotracheal intubation and mechanical ventilation at participating hospitals.
Not a fit: Older children, adults, or infants who are not intubated (or who are at centers without the EIT equipment) would not benefit from this specific protocol.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could reduce wrong tube placements, speed corrective action, and improve breathing support safety for intubated newborns.
How similar studies have performed: EIT has been used before to monitor lung ventilation in adults and some infants, but combining multi-source EIT with deep learning for instant tube-placement confirmation is a newer approach.
Where this research is happening
Fort Collins, United States
- Colorado State University — Fort Collins, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Mueller, Jennifer Lynn — Colorado State University
- Study coordinator: Mueller, Jennifer Lynn
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.