Trace level detection of analytes using artificial olfactometry

• US 6,319,724 B1
• Filed: 06/17/1999
• Issued: 11/20/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 06/19/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: California Institute of Technology, Smiths Detection Incorporated
• Original Assignee: California Institute of Technology, Cyrano Sciences, Inc. (Smiths Detection-Watford Ltd.)
• Inventors: Kelso, David M., Severin, Erik J., Munoz, Beth C., Lewis, Nathan S., Wong, Bernard
• Primary Examiner(s): Tung, T.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Handy, Dwayne K.
• Application Number:
  US09/336,428
• Time in Patent Office: 887 Days
• Field of Search: 422/68.1, 422/82.01, 422/82.02, 422/82.05, 422/82.06, 422/82.08, 422/83, 422/84, 422/88, 436/149, 436/151, 436/172, 436/900
• US Class Current: 436/149
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/00 Measuring for diagnostic purposes radiation diagnosis A61B6/00; diagnosis by ultrasonic, sonic or infrasonic waves A61B8/00; Identification of persons
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/082 Evaluation by breath analysis, e.g. determination of the chemical composition of exhaled breath A61B5/083, A61B5/091 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4547 Evaluating teeth
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 1/22 in the gaseous state specially adapted for biological material G01N33/497; measuring breath flow A61B5/087
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 1/405 by adsorption or absorption
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/0031 comprising two or more sensors, e.g. a sensor array electrochemical electrode arrays G01N27/27
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/0034 comprising neural networks or related mathematical techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/0044 for H2S, sulfides
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/497 of gaseous biological material, e.g. breath
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 436/90 Breath testing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 977/879 Material
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/143333 Saccharide [e.g., DNA, etc.]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/17 Nitrogen containing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/200833 Carbonyl, ether, aldehyde or ketone containing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/212 Aromatic
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/214 Acyclic [e.g., methane, octane, isoparaffin, etc.]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/216 Unsaturated [e.g., ethylene, diene, etc.]

Abstract

The present invention provides methods for detecting the presence of an analyte indicative of various medical conditions, including halitosis, periodontal disease and other diseases are also disclosed.

Claims

1. A method for detecting pneumonia, said method comprising:

contacting an array of sensors with mammalian breath suspected of containing a marker gas indicative of pneumonia; and

detecting said marker gases to determine the presence of pneumonia.

2. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein said array of sensors comprises a member selected from the group consisting of a surface acoustic wave sensor, a quartz microbalance sensor;

a conductive composite;

a chemiresistor;

a metal oxide gas sensor and a conducting polymer sensor, a dye-impregnated polymer film on fiber optic detector, a polymer-coated micromirror, an electrochemical gas detector, a chemically sensitive field-effect transistor, a carbon black-polymer composite, a micro-electro-mechanical system device and a micro-opto-electro-mechanical system device.

3. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein said marker gas is a member selected from the group consisting of alkanes, alkenes, alkynes, dienes, alicyclic hydrocarbons, arenes, alcohols, ethers, ketones, aldehydes, carbonyls, carbanions, polynuclear aromatics, biomolecules, sugars, isoprenes isoprenoids, VOC, VOA, indoles, skatoles, diarmines, pyridines, picolines, an off-gas of a microorganism and fatty acids.

4. A method in accordance with claim 1, further comprising generating a response from said sensors and inputting said response to a neural net trained against known marker gases.

5. A method in accordance with claim 1, further comprising concentrating said mammalian breath prior to contacting said array of sensors.

6. A method in accordance with claim 5, wherein said mammalian breath is concentrated in a breath collector concentrator.

7. A method in accordance with claim 6, wherein said breath collector concentrator is adapted to receive breath from the nose, nasal passages and mouth.

8. A method in accordance with claim 6, wherein said breath collector concentrator is adapted to provide breath from the nostril to avoid cross-contamination from the mouth.

9. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein said microorganism is a member selected from the group consisting of strep. pneumoniae, mycoplasma, chlamydia pneumoniae, and H. flu.

10. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein said mammalian breath further comprises additional microorganism marker gases.