dibh.app

Better with every breath

Our innovation Research group Related projects

Our innovation

In this project we seek to develop and evaluate a digi-physical tool for in-home training of best breathing technique.

The purpose is to describe and evaluate a person-centered model to practice the most optimal breathing technique for breathing adapted radiotherapy of women affected by left-sided breast cancer.

Using qualitative and quantitative methods, the project will examine how the model affects health-related outcome measures such as perceived health literacy (HL), distress (worry, anxiety) and the feeling of being prepared. It will also determine whether this training may be time and cost effective for the health service.

A person-centered model for The Deep Inspiration Breath Hold (DIBH) technique training has been developed in co-design with relevant stakeholders, and this will be integrated into a digital information tool enabling training undertaken at home.

What is DIBH?

Deep Inspiration Breath Hold (DIBH) technique is increasingly used with radiation therapy to protect healthy organs from unwanted absorbed dose. Using deep breaths, this technique creates a larger distance between the heart and the chest wall.

DIBH has shown good results, but requires a well-prepared, involved patient who has learned the correct breathing technique so that optimal position and breathing patterns can be reproduced during each treatment session. There is no evidence regarding which type of inhalation is optimal or how to best practice this.

The effects of DIBHs of deep breathing

The two X-ray images illustrate the same patient in free-breathing (A) and in DIBH (B).Darker grey areas are the lungs. In the images a drawn projection shows the heart (red) and target volume (turquoise). Radiotherapy treatment is delivered within the yellow demarcation. Yellow area shows radiotherapy treatment blockage.

In deep breathing, the chest is widened, and the volume of the heart is transferred downwards together with the diaphragm (B). Images show how the anatomy in deep breathing is preferable and, in this specific case, radiotherapy treatment can reach target volume without affecting the heart.

Inclusive development

We follow the quadruple helix model for innovation, where the patients, the clinic, academia and industry work in co-production to ensure a safe, quality assured, feasible and sustainable process that can lead to an evidence-based result.

Research group

We are the people behind DIBH.APP

Frida Smith

Registred Nurse, Associate Professor. PI of project.

Regional Cancer Centre West, Chalmers University of Technology

Frida Smith is a researcher at Chalmers Division of Service Managment and Logistics, and connected to the Centre for Healthcare Improvement (CHI). She also works as a research leader at Regionalt Cancercentrum Väst, and her research focuses on improvements of cancer care.

Contact me

Maria Brovall

Registred Nurse, Associate Professor. PI of project.

Högskolan Borås

Maria Brovall is a Reg nurse, PhD and has worked in oncology care. She is currently working as associated Professor and senior lecturer at University of Borås. Her research areas are digi- physical projects; palliative care; end-of life care, Health literacy and Health related quality of life. Affiliated to Dep of Oncology, Inst of Clinical Sciences,
Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Sweden.

Contact me