SOZO

We are so excited to have a SOZO machine at our Kogarah Clinic.

This machine will be particularly useful in our Lymphoedema Clinic but also for those interested in analysing their body and fluid composition which can be used to manage chronic disease and maximise health.

The SOZO machine uses bioimpedance spectroscopy (BIS) to measure and deliver a precise snapshot of fluid status and tissue composition as well as the L-DEX score to aid in the assessment of secondary, cancer-related lymphoedema.

This quick 30 second, non-invasive test will enhance our proactive patient care including early detection of disease progression, treatment monitoring and patient education.

Lymphoedema Prevention

The SOZO can be used for lymphoedema detection and monitoring. Changes in fluid status can be detected using this measure even before the naked eye or through tape measurement and often prior to symptoms even appearing.

Position papers written by the Australasian Lymphology Association recommend that cancer patients who have undergone treatment e.g. surgery, chemotherapy, radiotherapy should have their bioimpedance measures taken pre-treatment and then every 3 months for at least the first two years post treatment.

In a recently published randomised control trial (PREVENT Trial¹), results showed that the SOZO:

• Is more precise and reliable than tape measure (the current most used objective measure) at detecting lymphoedema
• Significantly lowers progression to chronic lymphoedema - 92% of patients who had lymphoedema detected early using SOZO, were treated and did not progress to chronic lymphoedema
• Should be part of standard practice in prospective breast cancer-related lymphoedema surveillance.

Body Composition Analysis

The SOZO machine can give a detailed analysis of body composition. The data points include:

• Total Body Water
• Extracellular Fluid
• Intracellular Fluid
• Hydration
• Skeletal Muscle Mass
• Fat Mass
• Fat Free Mass
• BMI
• Basal Metabolic Rate
• Weight

Having this information can help us set health targets with patients such as maintaining muscle mass, increasing functional strength and correct weight loss by reducing fat and increasing skeletal muscle mass.

So, if you’re interested in having your Body Composition assessed or are due for your lymphoedema surveillance measurement, call us now to book in on (02) 9553 8145.