Ion-based breath analysis system
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A breath analysis system, comprising:
- a breath sample preparation system, comprising;
a first inlet configured to receive a patient'"'"'s expired breath comprising an analyte of interest;
a second inlet configured to receive a carrier gas, wherein the first and second inlets are configured such that the patient'"'"'s expired breath only enters the breath sample preparation system via the first inlet and the carrier gas only enters the breath sample preparation system via the second inlet; and
a mixing chamber configured to mix at least a portion of the patient'"'"'s expired breath with the carrier gas to generate a gas mixture; and
an ion detection system operatively coupled to the breath sample preparation system, comprising;
a first pair of layers each comprising a heater circuit configured to maintain a temperature of the ion detection system within a range;
a second pair of layers positioned between the first pair of layers, each of the second pair of layers comprising a detector circuit, wherein the second pair of layers form at least a portion of a gas path configured to flow the gas mixture, and wherein the respective detector circuits of the second pair of layers form an ion detector configured to detect an ionized analyte of interest within the gas path; and
an ionization source mounted through at least one of the first pair of layers or at least one of the second pair of layers, or any combination thereof, and disposed along the gas path upstream from the detector, and wherein the ionization source is configured to ionize at least the analyte of interest within the gas mixture to produce the ionized analyte of interest; and
wherein all layers of the first pair of layers and the second pair of layers are parallel with one another.
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Abstract
Disclosed embodiments include systems for analyzing the breath of a patient for the presence of one or more analytes of interest. The systems may include an ion detection system capable of receiving a gas mixture having an analyte of interest expired by a patient, flowing the gas mixture, and ionizing molecules within the gas mixture. The molecules include at least the analyte of interest. The ion detection system is also capable of detecting the ionized analyte of interest.
31 Citations
26 Claims
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1. A breath analysis system, comprising:
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a breath sample preparation system, comprising; a first inlet configured to receive a patient'"'"'s expired breath comprising an analyte of interest; a second inlet configured to receive a carrier gas, wherein the first and second inlets are configured such that the patient'"'"'s expired breath only enters the breath sample preparation system via the first inlet and the carrier gas only enters the breath sample preparation system via the second inlet; and a mixing chamber configured to mix at least a portion of the patient'"'"'s expired breath with the carrier gas to generate a gas mixture; and an ion detection system operatively coupled to the breath sample preparation system, comprising; a first pair of layers each comprising a heater circuit configured to maintain a temperature of the ion detection system within a range; a second pair of layers positioned between the first pair of layers, each of the second pair of layers comprising a detector circuit, wherein the second pair of layers form at least a portion of a gas path configured to flow the gas mixture, and wherein the respective detector circuits of the second pair of layers form an ion detector configured to detect an ionized analyte of interest within the gas path; and an ionization source mounted through at least one of the first pair of layers or at least one of the second pair of layers, or any combination thereof, and disposed along the gas path upstream from the detector, and wherein the ionization source is configured to ionize at least the analyte of interest within the gas mixture to produce the ionized analyte of interest; and wherein all layers of the first pair of layers and the second pair of layers are parallel with one another. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A breath analysis system, comprising:
an ion detection system, comprising; an inlet configured to receive a gas mixture having an analyte of interest expired by a patient; a first pair of layers each comprising a heater circuit configured to maintain a temperature of the ion detection system within a range; a second pair of layers between the first pair of layers and comprising an ion detector, wherein two of the second pair of layers form at least a portion of a gas path fluidly coupled to the inlet and configured to flow the gas mixture, and wherein the ion detector is configured to detect an ionized analyte of interest within the gas path; and an ionization source mounted through at least one of the first pair of layers or at least one of the second pair of layers, or any combination thereof, disposed along the gas path upstream from the detector, and wherein the ionization source is configured to ionize molecules within the gas mixture, the molecules comprising at least the analyte of interest; and wherein all layers of the first pair of layers and the second pair of layers are parallel with one another. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. A breath analysis system, comprising:
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an ion detection system, comprising; a plurality of substrate layers comprising one or more thru holes configured to enable the breath analysis system to integrate onto a circuit board, wherein the plurality of substrate layers comprises; an inlet configured to receive a gas mixture having an analyte of interest from a patient'"'"'s expired breath; a first pair of layers each comprising a heater configured to maintain a temperature of the ion detection system within a range; and a second pair of layers disposed between the first pair of layers, each layer of the second pair of layers comprising an ion filter circuit and a detector circuit, wherein the second pair of layers form at least a portion of a gas path fluidly coupled to the inlet, wherein the gas path is configured to flow the gas mixture toward an outlet of the ion detection system, wherein the respective ion filter circuits of the second pair of layers form an ion filter coupled to an inner surface of the plurality of substrate layers along the gas path, the ion filter being configured to separate an ionized analyte of interest from other components of the gas mixture, and wherein the respective detector circuits of the second pair of layers form an ion detector coupled to the inner surface of the plurality of substrate layers along the gas path and downstream from the ion filter, wherein the ion detector is configured to generate a signal in response to detecting the presence of the ionized analyte of interest within the gas path; and an ionization source coupled to the plurality of substrate layers and disposed along the gas path, wherein the ionization source is configured to ionize at least the analyte of interest within the gas mixture to produce the ionized analyte of interest; and wherein all layers of the first pair of layers and the second pair of layers are parallel with one another. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26)
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Specification