Classifications

• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61B—DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION
  • A61B5/00—Measuring for diagnostic purposes; Identification of persons
  • A61B5/41—Detecting, measuring or recording for evaluating the immune or lymphatic systems
  • A61B5/411—Detecting or monitoring allergy or intolerance reactions to an allergenic agent or substance
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61B—DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION
  • A61B5/00—Measuring for diagnostic purposes; Identification of persons
  • A61B5/08—Detecting, measuring or recording devices for evaluating the respiratory organs
  • A61B5/097—Devices for facilitating collection of breath or for directing breath into or through measuring devices

Definitions

• the present invention relates generally to breath analyzer systems, and more particularly, to a novel breath analyzer system optimized for the detecting target compounds, e.g., related to specific bodily disorder.
• a breath analyzer system comprising a mask device for placement over a person's mouth for receiving that person's breath exhalations.
• An electronic sensor provided at a valve located at an entrance of a first outlet passageway initiates detection of breath exhalation and generates a control signal.
• a control device Upon receipt of the control signal, a control device initiates a breath volume measurement and collection cycle including directing a pre -determined volume of breath exhalation through the first passageway in a first part of the measurement cycle, and, directing the remaining portion of breath exhalation to a second passageway for receipt by a breath adsorbing media located in the second passageway during a second part of the measurement cycle.
• the first and second measurement cycles are repeated until a desired volume of exhaled breath has been sampled. Subsequently, the contents of the breath collected by the adsorbing media is analyzed by an ion mobility spectrometer or combination gas chromatographic GC/IMS device. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
• Figure 1 is a diagram illustrating the breath analyzer system of the invention.
• the breath analyzer instrument of the instant invention implements the following basic methodology: 1) sample collection, 2) sample preparation, and 3) sample analysis.
• sample collection the device samples the breath of the patient and traps the organic compounds that are to be analyzed.
• the instrument 10 is designed to take into account the mechanics of breathing. For example, a standard 70 -kg adult at rest breathes about 7.5L/min. The cycle that is responsible for this process consists of four stages: (rest, during inspiration) , end inspiration (equilibrium) , (during expiration) , and (expiration) .
• tidal volume an amount of air that is moved in and out with each breath is called the tidal volume which is usually about 500 ml.
• the first 150 ml of every expiration consists of "dead space" air from upper airways, where no gas exchange has occurred. This volume is wasted since it does not participate in gas exchange in the lungs, consequently, is does not contain target compounds. This means that of every breath only about 350 ml of air is suitable for collection and analysis. Thus, for example, to determine how much of a sample to collect in order to detect a target compound with a concentration of 100 ppt, the total volume of usable air that must be collected has to be determined.
• the breath analysis device of the invention automatically collects the correct amount of usable air from the patient.
• FIG. 1 is schematic diagram depicting the the breath analyzer system 10 of the invention, including the mask component 12.
• the mask component 12 includes all the elements and on-board electronics 15 to carry out a pre-programmed sequence to efficiently collect the usable air as the patient breaths normally.
• the invention supports the following modes of operation: 1) Stand-by and 2) Collect Sample.
• Stand-by Mode the mask is either placed over the patient's face to receive breath exhalations, a sample "trap” is removed from the mask, or, the mask is removed from the patient's face.
• a collect sample mode of operation the specified volume of usable air as the patient breaths normally, is collected.
• the sample mask is provided with a first intake passageway 22, and outlet passageways 25, 30 and 35.
• the outlet passageway 30 includes a sample collection chamber 45 having media for collecting constituents of said exhaled breath.
• Three valves 101, 102 and 103 corresponding to respective passage ways 22, 25 and 30 which actuate in sequence with the in and out breathing of the patient are provided. For instance, during patient inhalation: valve 101 opens enabling the person to inhale via passageway 22, but valves 102-103 remain closed; during exhalation: valves 101 and 103 are closed, and valve 102 is open.
• the operational sequence is as follows: first, a start button 20 is selected to initiate an operation sequence that is executed by the on-board control microprocessor 50.
• the microprocessor specifically waits for a signal from an electronics sensor 40 attached to valve 102. As the patient exhales, valve 101 closes and the shunt valve 103 opens. A signal from the electronics sensor 40 is received by the microprocessor 50 to start the measuring sequence.
• the microprocessor directs valve 102 to close, and simultaneously, directs valve 103 to open to allow the remaining exhaled breath to pass through a sample trap 60.
• the trap 60 contains a suitable high surface area adsorbant material, e.g., hydrophobic adsorbent such as Tenax-polymeric.
• Flow sensor 70 measures the usable air volume.
• the microprocessor keeps an account of the total volume of usable air that passes through valve 103. When the appropriate volume has been expired (5000-10,000 ml), the microprocessor 50 closes valve 103 and signals that the process is finished. Valves 101 and 102 are now in the standby configuration.
• sample collector 60 including the adsorbed breath sample is removed, for example, by a robotic interface device, and is placed in an analyzer.
• the breath analyzer system 10 includes a modified GC/IMS based instrument 80 with a robotic interface to prepare sample traps for processing in a GC/IMS analytical device, which may comprise for example, a modified version of an ORION explosive detection system (manufactured by Intelligent Detection Systems, Inc., the assignee of the present invention), similar to the system described in U.S. Patent Nos. 5,189,301, 5,465,607 and 5,585,575, the contents and disclosure of each of which are incorporated by reference as if fully set forth herein.
• the modifications would include optimized analytical components to accommodate the various target compounds, a list of which may be found in Appendix A.
• the analysis time should not exceed 15 to 20 seconds.
• pancreas pancreas hydrogen after Perman,J.A. of damage/cys ic a dose of rice the John f ibrosis s rch Hopkins University School of Medicine (in Phillips 1992) other diseases pancreas IOC in 14C02 Phillips 1992 causi ng from a dose of pancreas radiol abeled dysfunction trig! yceride
• VSC Volatile sulfur halitosi s compounds

Landscapes

• Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
• Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
• Medical Informatics (AREA)
• Molecular Biology (AREA)
• Veterinary Medicine (AREA)
• Biophysics (AREA)
• Pathology (AREA)
• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Biomedical Technology (AREA)
• Heart & Thoracic Surgery (AREA)
• Public Health (AREA)
• Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• Surgery (AREA)
• Animal Behavior & Ethology (AREA)
• General Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
• Immunology (AREA)
• Vascular Medicine (AREA)
• Physiology (AREA)
• Pulmonology (AREA)
• Measurement Of The Respiration, Hearing Ability, Form, And Blood Characteristics Of Living Organisms (AREA)
• Investigating Or Analysing Biological Materials (AREA)
• Sampling And Sample Adjustment (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (3)

Publications (2)

Family

ID=22044127

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (4)

Families Citing this family (8)

Citations (3)

Family Cites Families (4)

• 1998
  • 1998-10-20 WO PCT/US1998/022091 patent/WO1999020177A1/en not_active Application Discontinuation
  • 1998-10-20 EP EP98953727A patent/EP1024745A4/en not_active Withdrawn
  • 1998-10-20 CA CA002306760A patent/CA2306760A1/en not_active Abandoned
  • 1998-10-20 JP JP2000516590A patent/JP2001520068A/ja active Pending

Patent Citations (3)

Non-Patent Citations (3)

Also Published As

Similar Documents

Legal Events