Hydrogen Nanosensor Breath Test for Celiac Diagnosis
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current diagnostic methods for celiac disease, such as blood serum tests and breath tests, are invasive, costly, and have limitations in sensitivity and specificity, while existing breath tests require carbohydrate ingestion and are not standard for celiac disease diagnosis.
Innovation Solution
A non-invasive, point-of-care, hand-held device using a selective hydrogen gas nanosensor that detects hydrogen levels in a fasting breath sample, allowing for the diagnosis of celiac disease without carbohydrate ingestion, utilizing a hydrogen-selective nanosensor capable of operating at room temperature and providing immediate results.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If blood serum tests are used for celiac disease diagnosis, then diagnostic accuracy is improved, but the procedure becomes invasive and time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical/invasive blood drawing process with a non-invasive breath sampling system. The breath testing device uses a sensor array to detect volatile organic compounds in exhaled breath, eliminating the need for needle puncture and blood collection while maintaining diagnostic capability through alternative biomarker detection.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces breath analysis as an intermediary diagnostic method between invasive blood tests and simple physical examination. By detecting volatile organic compounds in breath that correlate with celiac disease markers, the system provides a non-invasive window into gastrointestinal pathology without directly sampling blood or tissue.
2Measurement precision
If centralized laboratory testing is used, then diagnostic precision is improved, but loss of time and accessibility are worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the centralized laboratory testing function into a portable, standalone device that can be deployed at point-of-care locations. The breath testing device integrates sampling, analysis, and interpretation capabilities into a single unit that operates independently of centralized laboratories, enabling local diagnostic delivery while maintaining analytical precision through built-in sensor arrays and processing algorithms.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent enables the testing device to perform complete diagnostic analysis autonomously without requiring centralized laboratory infrastructure. The device self-calibrates, automatically analyzes breath samples using its sensor array, interprets results through embedded algorithms, and provides immediate diagnostic output, eliminating the need for sample transport and external laboratory processing.
3Ease of operation
If existing breath tests are used, then non-invasive testing is achieved, but sensitivity and specificity are insufficient for celiac disease diagnosis
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple sensor detection capabilities into a single breath testing system. By combining sensors that detect different volatile organic compounds and analyzing their patterns collectively, the system achieves superior diagnostic accuracy compared to single-marker breath tests, while maintaining the non-invasive advantage of breath sampling.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the diagnostic parameters from single biomarker detection to multi-component volatile organic compound profile analysis. By monitoring multiple breath constituents simultaneously and analyzing their relative concentrations and patterns, the system enhances sensitivity and specificity beyond what single-parameter breath tests can achieve, while remaining non-invasive.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables rapid, accurate, and inexpensive diagnosis of celiac disease with high specificity, differentiating it from other gastrointestinal disorders through a simple fasting breath sample, offering a more accessible and efficient diagnostic tool compared to existing methods.
Implementation Method 1
a selective hydrogen gas nanosensor that detects hydrogen levels in a fasting breath sample
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to a diagnostic method and breath-testing device for the diagnosis of Celiac Disease or other gastrointestinal malabsorption in adults and children, and uses a hydrogen selective sensor in the form of a ZnO nanowire-based sensor fabricated using a focused ion beam (FIB/SEM) instrument or a thin film.