Using hair to screen for breast cancer

• US 6,718,007 B1
• Filed: 09/06/2001
• Issued: 04/06/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/10/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: SBC Research Pty., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Fiberscan Pty Limited
• Inventors: James, Veronica Jean
• Primary Examiner(s): Church, Craig E.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Yun, Jurie
• Application Number:
  US09/857,665
• Time in Patent Office: 943 Days
• Field of Search: 378/70, 378/71, 378/86, 378/88, 378/89, 378/90, 378/79, 209/589
• US Class Current: 378/70
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1072 measuring distances on the body, e.g. measuring length, height or thickness A61B5/1076 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4088 Diagnosing of monitoring cognitive diseases, e.g. Alzheimer, prion diseases or dementia
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/448 Hair evaluation, e.g. for hair disorder diagnosis

Abstract

A method for detecting the presence of a gene responsible for a pathological state; or the pathological state itself in a patient comprising exposing at least one hair from the patient to fibre X-ray diffraction and detecting changes in the ultrastructure of the hair. An instrument (1) for detecting the presence of a gene responsible for a pathological state; or de pathological state itself, using a hair sample, comprising: an X-ray source (2) producing a beam of X-ray radiation; a sample stage for positioning said hair (3) sample within said beam; a detector to detect the scanering of said X-ray beam caused by said hair sample; and a display means (9) associated with said detector for displaying the output thereof (9a, 9b, 9c and 9d); whereby patterns of output related to the presence of said gene or said pathological state are displayed for interpretation.

Claims

1. A method for detecting the presence in a patient of a gene responsible for a pathological state or the pathological state itself, said method comprising exposing at least one hair from the patient to fiber x-ray diffraction and detecting changes in ultrastructure of the hair that indicate the presence in the patient of the gene or the pathological state, said pathological state being (a) a cancer that causes a change in the ultra structure of the hair or (b) Alzheimer'"'"'s disease.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the pathological state is breast cancer.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the hair is taken from a scalp or pubic area of the patient.

4. The method according to claim 2, wherein the hair is washed in distilled water and dried prior to said exposing.

5. The method according to claim 2, wherein the x-ray diffraction is carried out with a low-angle synchrotron facility.

6. The method according to claim 2, wherein the x-ray diffraction is carried out with x-rays having a wavelength of about 0.15 mm.

7. The method according to claim 2, wherein the hair is exposed to x-rays for a period of between 5 seconds and 5 minutes.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein the exposure time is approximately 60 seconds.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein the pathological state is prostate cancer or Alzheimer'"'"'s disease.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein the x-ray diffraction uses x-rays from synchrotron radiation or other monochromatic x-ray sources with energies between 5 and 25 keV.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein monochromatic x-rays are used that have a wavelength between 0.06 and 0.20 nm.

12. The method according to claim 9, wherein synchrotron radiation is used from a low-angle synchrotron facility.

14. The method according to claim 9, wherein the hair is washed in distilled water, dried and positioned perpendicular to a beam and held taut during said exposing.

15. The method according to claim 9, wherein the hair is exposed to x-rays from third or second generation synchrotrons for a period of approximately 20 or 60 seconds respectively.

16. The method according to claim 9, wherein the hair is exposed to x-rays for a period of between about 5 seconds to about 5 weeks.

17. The method according to claim 9, wherein the pathological state is prostate cancer.

18. The method according to claim 9, wherein the pathological state is Alzheimer'"'"'s disease.

13. The method according to claim wherein the hair is taken from a scalp or pubic area of the patient.