Electrical Impedance Myography (EIM)

Although EIM sounds very similar to bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) and bioimpedance spectroscopy (BIS), EIM sends an electrical current through each muscle, whereas BIA and BIS send an electrical current through the entire body to calculate body fat percentage. EIM sends a signal through every muscle, making it possible to calculate both the regional and overall proportion of body fat.

This device and skinfold calipers are comparable in that they are both placed directly on certain body parts, but the technologies are very different. Although EIM has been available for a while, a hand-held EIM device was recently released on the market, offering a less expensive way to assess regional and overall body composition outside of a laboratory setting.