The technology underpinning ImpediMed was developed  by researchers at The University of Queensland and the Queensland University of Technology (QUT).

In 1988, Drs Leigh Ward (UQ), Brian Thomas (QUT) and Bruce Cornish (QUT) first began working collaboratively on developing devices to measure water content in the body using bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA).  BIA measures the impedance or opposition to the flow of an electric current through the body fluids contained mainly in the lean and fat tissue. It involves passing an extremely small electrical current through the body and measuring the opposition to the flow of this current (defined as impedance).  Using these devices, medical practitioners are able to detect lymphoedema. 

Characterised by excess protein and tissue fluid retention, lymphoedema can result from radiation therapy or surgery.  The condition frequently affects cancer patients and may be extremely debilitating.  While the condition is incurable, it can be arrested with treatment.  Diagnosing lymphoedema early and treating it promptly is recognised as the best way to manage it.  Until recently, diagnostic techniques involved measuring limbs with a tape measure or immersing limbs in water.

The ImpediMed technology offers objective, standardised, non-invasive, fast, and considerably cheaper testing for lymphoedema than most existing alternatives.  The accuracy of data collected from the devices allows clinicians to diagnose and begin treating conditions such as lymphoedema earlier than they would with traditional methods.

UniQuest patented the BIA technology for the detection and monitoring of lymphoedema in 1999.  The start-up company, ImpediMed Ltd, was co-founded in 2000 with an initial investor, Parma Corporation, run by Mel and Lucille Bridges. 

In 2004, ImpediMed moved into its regulatory submission and market launch phase, appointing a Chief Executive Officer to drive the company forward.  ImpediMed also received a $250,000 Biotechnology Innovationⁱ Fund grant from the Federal Government.

Following ImpediMed’s successful receipt of a unique Food and Drug Administration clearance in the USⁱ for its primary product, Imp XCA, to be used in the clinical assessment of secondary lymphoedema in the arm, the company released a prospectus to raise $18 million to fund the launch of its biomedical devices in the US and Europe. The share offer closed oversubscribed, and the company listed on the Australian Stock Exchange on 24 October 2007.

With the American Medical Association’s announcement in 2010 of a unique Category III CPT code for the use of Bioimpedance Spectroscopy (BIS) in the assessment of lymphoedema in both arms and legs, ImpediMed became the first company to offer FDAⁱ, CE and TGA cleared L-Dex devices for simple point of care, standardised and objective metrics to aid in the clinical assessment of lymphoedema. The Category III code, designated for emerging technologies, was scheduled for use beginning in January, 2011.