People can develop dysphagia—difficulties in swallowing—at any stage of life, which impacts their quality of life. There can be many causes of dysphagia, which can be diagnosed through impedance-manometry testing, where an impedance catheter and an ultrasound catheter are inserted through a nostril into the patient’s esophagus. The cross-sectional area and pressure in the esophagus are recorded while a challenge medium of fixed volume is swallowed. Nurses must ensure that the volume across multiple swallows remains consistent.

The medium currently in use—half concentration (aka: "half normal") saline—generates unclear and unreliable impedance results and ultrasound images, leading to generalized diagnosis. Research in this field currently focuses on ways to gather more specific data from impedance-manometry tests to develop focused treatment methods for various forms of dysphasia.