Dental News - Mobile breath analysis device is promising for early disease diagnosis

Dental Tribune International

Wed. 16. August 2017

save

SEOUL, South Korea: Breath pattern recognition was once thought of as a futuristic diagnostic platform. Research in this area has been gaining much attention because breath analysis is a non-invasive and low-cost method. Among the most critical challenges in this regard is the development of sufficiently sensitive sensors. Korean scientists have now developed high-sensitivity sensors to enable early monitoring of various diseases based on biomarker gases in breath.

The research group, led by Dr Il-Doo Kim in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering at the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, has developed highly sensitive and selective chemiresistive sensors that can potentially diagnose specific diseases by analysing exhaled breath gases. The sensors were developed by combining hollow protein-templated nanocatalysts with electrospun metal oxide nanostructures, which have large and highly porous surface areas and thus achieve high sensitivity.

Human breath consists of diverse components, including water vapour, hydrogen, acetone, toluene, ammonia, hydrogen sulphide and carbon monoxide, with greater or lesser amounts exhaled in the case of illness. Some of these are closely associated with diseases such as asthma, lung cancer, Type 1 diabetes mellitus, and halitosis.

Breath analysis starts with capturing exhaled breath in a Tedlar bag and subsequently injecting the captured breath gases into a miniaturised sensor system, similar to an alcohol detector. It is possible to analyse exhaled breath very rapidly with a simple analysing process. Breath analysis can detect trace changes in exhaled breath components, contributing to early diagnosis of disease. However, gases in the breath occur at very low levels, from 1 ppb to 1 ppm, and so extremely sensitive sensors are needed for accuracy. In particular, it has been a challenge for chemiresistive chemical sensors to selectively detect specific biomarkers.

Conventionally, platinum and palladium are used in developing the catalysts; however, the sensitivity is insufficient. The sensors in the current study were specially optimised for selective detection of specific biomarkers. Their performance was approximately three to four times better than that of platinum and palladium catalyst-loaded nanofibre sensors. In particular, their sensitivity to acetone and hydrogen sulphide was the highest reported in literature.

“New types of heterogeneous nanocatalysts were synthesized using protein templates with sizes around 2 nm and functionalized on various metal oxide nanofiber sensing layers. The established sensing libraries can detect biomarker species with high sensitivity and selectivity. The new and innovative breath gas analysis platform will be very helpful for reducing medical expenditures and continuous monitoring of physical conditions,” said Kim.

The study, titled “Innovative nanosensor for disease diagnosis”, was published in the July issue of the Accounts of Chemical Research journal.

Tags:

Analysis Breath Device Diagnosis Disease Early Mobile Promising

To post a reply please login or register

Researchers to develop device for early oral cancer detection

NORMAN, Okla., U.S.: A considerable proportion of oral cancer diagnoses are made when the cancer is advanced. A University of Oklahoma (OU) researcher is ...

Researchers developing 3D ultrasound system for accurate, safe diagnosis of dental disease

EDMONTON, Canada: A team of researchers at the University of Alberta has secured funding to develop a 3D ultrasound device that would allow dentists to ...

Artificial intelligence takes early steps in predicting post-treatment periodontal disease severity

LAHORE, Pakistan: Because treating periodontal disease requires a nuanced approach, a means of predicting the most likely treatment requirements could help ...

Tracking periodontal disease with electronic dental records may enhance diagnosis and treatment

INDIANAPOLIS, US: Despite advances in periodontal disease research and treatments, it remains a growing health issue in the US. To address this topic, ...

Interview: “Using cell therapy for bone regeneration is promising”

Prof. Kamal Mustafa from the Department of Clinical Dentistry at the University of Bergen in Norway is sponsoring and leading, together with Dr Cecilie ...

The keys to early cancer diagnosis: careful examination & timely biopsy

The young man was just 19 when he came in to see his dentist after Halloween because of a sore on the side of his tongue. A non-smoker and non-drinker, he ...

Use of 3D technology in the diagnosis and treatment of endodontic disease

In recent years, the technology associated with endodontic therapy has undergone a veritable revolution. For years, intraoral radiographs were used as the ...

New study on primary dentition takes first steps toward early autism diagnosis

NEW YORK, U.S.: According to the Autism Society of America, more than 3.5 million Americans have some form of autism spectrum disorder. With prevalence of ...

Interview: What is Deep CBCT analysis and what does it mean for the orthodontist?

Russian start-up 3D Smile was founded in response to a lack of software applications for aligner treatment. Marina Domracheva, the founder and CEO, ...

Researchers developing novel AI platform for dental disease identification

GUILDFORD, UK: Dental disease identification is often cumbersome and time-consuming. To assist dental professionals in better detecting dental problems, ...

Education

Live webinar
Mon. 22 April 2024
10:00 am EST (New York)