New breath analyzer for improved diagnosis of 17 serious diseases

Exhaling once could be enough to diagnose dangerous diseases in the future
In part, the diagnosis of disease is extremely difficult. But researchers now found that a so-called respiratory analyzer requires only a single breath to reliably diagnose 17 different diseases. These include, for example, lung cancer, irritable bowel syndrome and multiple sclerosis.

Scientists discovered during an investigation that one breath in a breath analyzer is already sufficient to diagnose 17 different diseases. The physicians published the results of their study in the journal "ACS Nano".

There are many different ways to diagnose some diseases. Physicians discovered during an examination that the analysis of our breath allows the diagnosis of certain diseases. (Image: goodluz / fotolia.com)

Physicians examine the breath of 1,400 subjects
For their study, the researchers studied about 1,400 subjects in five different countries. The respiratory system was able to identify subjects' illnesses with an accuracy of 86 percent. Every illness has its own breath, so to speak, explain the physicians.

Analysis of the breath is a very old method
The breath analyzer examines volatile organic compounds (VOCs) to detect any disease. Testing for so-called VOCs is not a new approach; as early as 400 BC, doctors knew that the smell of physical emissions from patients can help diagnose. For example, the smell of stool and urine from the infants of nobles was studied.

Construction of the device for breath analysis
VOCs are found in feces, blood and other bodily substances. Exhausted breath testing, however, is the cheapest, simplest and least invasive option, say the experts. To investigate breath for the diagnosis, the researchers developed an analyzer, which has two so-called nanolayers. One contains carbon, the other does not.

The carbon-free layer contained modified gold nanoparticles and a network of nanotubes. Both provide electrical conductivity, explain the experts. Meanwhile, the layer of carbon worked as a sensor layer to hold the exhaled VOCs, scientists say. When a person breathes into the respiratory system, that person's VOCs reacted with the organic sensor layer. This in turn changes the electrical resistance of the inorganic sensors. By measuring this resistance, the researchers were able to determine what VOCs were present.

Different VOCs indicate different diseases
There are hundreds of known VOCs in exhaled breath. However, only 13 of them are needed to distinguish between 17 different diseases, the experts explain. For example, the nonanal VOC is associated with ovarian cancer, inflammatory bowel disease, and breast cancer. VOC isoprene is associated with chronic liver disease, kidney disease and diabetes, the experts add.

Individually, VOCs can not differentiate between diseases
Each VOC is tied to several conditions. These results support our finding that no single VOC can distinguish between different diseases, the researchers explain.

Subjects all came from China, Israel, France, Latvia and the United States
When the breath analyzer was completed, the researchers tested it on 813 people who had one of 17 diseases. There were also 591 people in the control group. All participants came from China, Israel, France, Latvia or the United States, say the authors.

Artificial intelligence matches VOCs with database
Next, the scientists then used artificial intelligence to match the VOCs to a database every breath. In this disease were included, which had the same so-called VOC concentration patterns. So then a diagnosis could be delivered.

Further research is needed
During the analysis, the researchers did not know which diseases the participants had. The team also checked the results with a different method. The new breath analyzer is not yet available on the market. First, more tests and better accuracy are required, explain the authors. Nevertheless, the results of the study are encouraging. (As)