Imspex Medical

Today, ground-breaking new research is propelling the future of diagnosis forward with a novel approach that enables quick, painless, and easy point-of-care diagnoses: breath analysis has the potential to revolutionise illness detection.

Breath analysis is undergoing extensive research, and ground-breaking breakthroughs are predicted. Breath analysis has the potential to lead to non-invasive, quick screening for diseases such as cancer and diabetes through the use of VOCs present in breath.

Our GC-IMC Technology

Exhaled volatile organic compounds (VOCs) contain a plethora of chemical data about an individual's biological systems and metabolic activities at any given time. When broken down into metabolic profiles, this information can be used as a biomarker to detect the presence of sickness.

Imspex Medical's VOCs GC-IMS technology solves this vacuum. It combines the analytical chemistry strengths of gas chromatography (GC) and Ion Mobility Spectrometry (IMS) with Big Data's multivariate data analysis capacity. Analytical chemistry findings are analysed using proprietary integrated software to identify digital chemical signatures and link them to specific sickness symptoms.

This ultrasensitive approach to detection yields speedy and consistent results even at low chemical concentrations. It's trustworthy and may be used in both centralised and decentralised testing environments. As a result, it can be used in a variety of settings, including laboratory, community healthcare, and mass screening.

Breath Diagnosis with a Single Blow

We're searching for a non-invasive, quick way to screen for anything. Breath analysis through VOCs using GC-IMS Technology is significantly less invasive than typical diagnostic approaches such as blood tests and biopsies.

Breath analysis could be used to replace routine biopsies in heart-lung transplant recipients. Breath analysis can be used to determine whether an immune rejection response is present without the need for a tissue sample.

Scans and screenings for diseases like cancer frequently necessitate costly equipment and specialised operators, and they expose patients to potentially hazardous ionising radiation. Breath analysis, on the other hand, may be done right at the point of service and provides immediate results.

Potential of Breath Analysis Technology

There has been a great deal of work done in this area, and it is currently ongoing. H Pylori infection detection, bacterial overgrowth syndrome, lactose intolerance, and fructose intolerance are now authorised applications for breath analysis.

Many more uses are in the works, and clinical trials are currently taking place. Asthma, colorectal cancer, lung cancer, breast cancer, and infectious disorders like tuberculosis are also studied using breath analysis.

Periodic breath analysis via the ventilator could be utilised to predict sepsis and improve patient outcomes in the future. While many of these applications are still in the conceptual and testing stages, the future seems promising.

This means that breath analysis could someday reveal a wealth of information about what is going on in the body, such as how the metabolism works or how a medicinal medication affects it.

The more data collected by researchers, the more applications of breath analysis become available. The future of diagnostics is taking form as research in this field proceeds.

Meet BreathSpec

BreathSpec, a proprietary breath analyser from Imspex Medical, combines gas chromatography and Ion Mobility Spectrometry i.e. GCIMS technologies in a unique way. It offers consumers and healthcare professionals a multitude of benefits across a wide range of applications.

This is a completely non-invasive screening and diagnosis procedure because breath samples are employed. It is based on well-established and frequently used detection technologies in both research and industrial settings.

The GC-IMS system is designed to handle a huge number of tests. With this combination, faster detection and analysis are possible without sacrificing accuracy. It has shown sensitivity in detecting lung cancer, asthma, and infections caused by bacterial and viral respiratory pathogens, among other things.

Measuring the volatile organic compounds (VOCs) generated by the body's metabolic activities is an effective method for health monitoring and illness identification. Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are gaseous molecules that can be swiftly and non-invasively collected using contemporary breath-analysis technologies.

Over 1,000 VOCs observed on breath, together with respiratory droplets, have been discovered in studies as a rich source of information about general health and have tremendous promise as markers of illness development and progression.

Endogenous VOCs (VOCs produced within the body) are the breath biomarkers, which are by-products of metabolic activity, and alterations in these VOCs might be indicative of certain disease processes. Exogenous VOCs (Response to Environmental Exposure) in breath can also be utilised to assess medication metabolism or to monitor exposure to potentially dangerous environmental substances such as benzene.

Asthma and VOC Biomarkers

Asthma is now diagnosed primarily on clinical history, physical examination, and lung function. These approaches, however, do not allow for the direct diagnosis of asthma or the differentiation of phenotypes. It is acknowledged that there is a rising demand for new diagnostic techniques that translate our expanding understanding of diverse asthma phenotypes into objective testing.

This might eventually lead to a move away from the traditional strategy of treating asthma based on symptoms and toward the creation of tailored therapy based on the precise underlying cause of asthma. This has the potential to address the present issues of over-and under-diagnosis, over-and under-treatment, and reduce asthma morbidity and death.

Experts want to find prospects for future investment in approaches that allow for the correct identification of various asthma phenotypes. The three most significant advances are:

Instruments for detecting volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in exhaled breath

Relatively accurate prediction of future asthma in preschool children

New molecular indicators of asthma in genomes, proteomics, and metabolomics as a tool for both diagnosis and monitoring.

Exhaled Breath Biomarkers

Considering the usage of exhaled breath, some articles by renowned researchers dive into the history of employing user-friendly breath biomarkers like FENO. Garcia-Marcos points out that early attempts to use FENO to diagnose and monitor asthma had unanticipated difficulties. While it was first considered that FENO was a broad marker of asthma, it was shown that FENO primarily reflected eosinophilic airway inflammation.

The Metabolome's VOCs

Garcia-Marcos recognises the general relevance of VOCs when he addresses system biology, a branch of research that focuses on the intricate interactions within biological systems.

Asthma is a complicated illness in which several cell types are impacted by various immunological pathways, resulting in a variety of symptoms. The study of genomes, proteomics, and metabolomics about asthma has several prospects since it allows for the simultaneous assessment of multiple mediators.

This can lead to the identification of early diagnostic profiles as well as the identification of novel breath biomarkers that can be used to monitor asthma and guide medication.

Metabolomics is already being used to treat asthma using various bio-fluids, and the same technique is currently being investigated for volatile metabolites in exhaled breath. As Garcia-Marcos highlighted, Volatile Organic Compound biomarker profiles have been found to distinguish between asthmatic and healthy children.

Imspex Medical's Role in VOCs Analysis Technology Development

Imspex Medical's patented breath analyser, BreathSpec has a unique combination of gas chromatography (GC) and Ion Mobility Spectrometry (IMS) technologies. It provides a variety of advantages to consumers and healthcare professionals across a wide range of applications.

Because breath samples are used, this is a fully non-invasive screening and diagnosing method. It is based on detecting methods that are well-established and widely utilised in research and industrial settings.

The GC-IMS technology is built to handle a large volume of testing. The combination allows for faster detection and analysis without sacrificing accuracy. It has demonstrated sensitivity in identifying respiratory disorders such as lung cancer, asthma, and infections caused by bacterial and viral respiratory pathogens.

Many new high-tech technologies are many years ahead of what physicians had access to only 30 years ago. They are far from perfect, but they do provide much improved levels of accuracy and sooner diagnosis.

These new treatments can be costly, time-consuming, and intrusive. Today, ground-breaking new research is propelling the future of diagnosis ahead with a novel technique that enables quick, painless, and easy point-of-care diagnoses: breath analysis by the breathspec has the potential to revolutionise illness detection.

Breath analysis is undergoing extensive investigation, and ground-breaking breakthroughs are predicted. Breath analysis has the potential to lead to non-invasive, quick screening for illnesses such as cancer and diabetes.

Understanding the Technology of Breathspec

How can we take a breath sample and determine what it contains when some molecules are only present in minuscule levels – as low as one part in a billion – and how can we do it quickly, precisely, and economically?

The BreathSpec is a hybrid instrument that combines a traditional gas chromatograph with an ion mobility spectrometer (GCxIMS).

The combination of dual physical separation of volatile chemicals and the IMS's excellent sensitivity enables for the detection and quantification of molecules in complicated matrices down to the ppb level, enabling for direct investigation of volatile compounds in human breath.

The BreathSpec just requires a power source to operate because it is equipped with a gas recycling unit (CGFU). As a result, the equipment configuration can be portable for point-of-care testing.

Flexible sampling options cover a wide range of measuring circumstances while being non-invasive to the breath donor and maintaining hygiene requirements.

One of the most important advantages of breath analysis for medical applications is that it is non-invasive. The sample procedure should always be as simple and relaxing as feasible.

Furthermore, for sanitary reasons and to decrease stress for the breath donor, a disposable and straightforward breath sample set-up that follows the method is required.

From identifying bomb impact positions to evaluating water contamination, this technique has a wide range of uses.

A Breath of Fresh Air for Diagnosis

Breath analysis is significantly less intrusive than typical diagnostic approaches such as blood tests and biopsies. Scans and screenings for illnesses like cancer frequently need costly equipment and specialised operators, and they expose patients to potentially hazardous ionising radiation.

On the other hand, breath analysis may be done directly at the point of service and delivers quick results. This might be a far more affordable solution for countries and communities who don't have the financial means to install expensive equipment.

The Application of BreathSpec Technology

In terms of diagnosis, it's a breath of fresh air. Breath analysis is significantly less intrusive than typical diagnostic approaches such as blood tests and biopsies.

Scans and screenings for illnesses like cancer frequently need costly equipment and specialised operators, and they expose patients to potentially hazardous ionising radiation.

Breath analysis, on the other hand, may be done right at the point of service and provides immediate findings.

This might be a considerably more accessible option for countries and communities without the financial capacity to install pricey equipment.

Using breath analysis to improve cancer detection

New cancer cases are anticipated to rise to 29.5 million per year by 2040, with breast cancer being the most common diagnosis. To enhance results, early identification is critical.

Introduce breath analysis, a technique that has the potential to revolutionise illness detection. This whitepaper discusses the possibility of breath analysis as a less expensive, quicker, and simpler screening method than mammography.

Electronic Sensor Technology, a prominent provider of portable gas chromatography equipment, is working on breath analysis technology that might revolutionise breast cancer screening and illness detection in general.

Breath Analysis is gaining popularity in the healthcare and diagnostic industry. The non-invasive and rapid testing method is proving to be more fruitful than Point of Care & Swab testing as well, leaving behind the traditional lab-based testing methods in the race.

But before we learn more about how this new technique is changing the healthcare world, let’s understand it in layman terms.

# What is the meaning of breath analysis?

Exhaled breath analysis is a medical technique for determining a person's clinical status by measuring the components contained in their exhaled breath. It's a non-invasive technology that allows you to take breath samples as often as you want.

The examination of exhaled breath is driven by the identification and quantification of putative illness indicators. Future medical diagnosis and therapy control applications with dynamic assessments of normal physiological function or pharmacodynamics are also planned. Breath analysis is carried out using a variety of sample and analytical methods.

# What makes it a popular tool for diagnosing disease?

1. Non-Invasive

First and foremost, it is entirely non-invasive. We have a variety of diagnostic systems, and we're seeing a lot of them with COVID. Blood, urine, and even swabs at the back of the throat, or even anal swabs, as seen in China for COVID, have all been used for analysis in the past.The non-intrusiveness is critical. Even the least intrusive of treatments, such as the back of the throat or nose swabs, may not be enough for some people.

2. Sustainable Solution

Breath analysis does not require consumables, making it incredibly environmentally friendly. Except for the mouthpieces, (which are recyclable), there is no waste.In today's world, sustainability is a major challenge. The lack of consumables and shortage of resources in the supply chain has a primary influence on sustainability.We've seen how, in the case of the Coronavirus pandemic, the supply chain for many of these diagnostics' consumables may be a serious issue when they're needed on a huge scale globally.Breath relies solely on very simple-to-manufacture mouthpieces that can be shipped in large quantities using ordinary transport methods at room temperature and with standard packing. This is a significant advantage over other systems with significantly more complicated logistics. 

3. Rapidity

Another virtue is its speed: the findings are almost instantaneous. There is no need to cultivate or grow medium; the outcome is determined by the breath. You're getting a culture that's been cultivated in a biological system, which is the human you're diagnosing or looking at when you take a breath.The impact of this viewpoint is immediate, especially in the neighbourhood. When it's difficult to bring individuals to diagnosis and screening places, the fact that we can offer a result right away boosts our odds of being able to treat.When we need to get individuals in for diagnostics and then treat them, it often necessitates a second appointment, which is not always possible or convenient, and which many people avoid. It is advantageous to have everything in one location at the same time.

4. Portability

Another consideration is portability. Breath analysis is perfect for screening in hospitals and GP clinics, but it can also be done in the community; the devices are easy to transport and install anywhere they are needed. In the context of COVID, this could be highly significant.Breath analysis could potentially be carried out on the go. There's no reason why breath analysis equipment couldn't be mounted to an ambulance or other mobile diagnostic unit that roams the neighbourhood.

Breath Analysis or External Breath Aerosol Testing is the future of the medical industry and Impex Medical are the creators of this future. Their research and efforts in devising a breath aerosol testing device have been fruitful.They combined the power of gas chromatography and Ion Mobility Spectrometry to execute a volatile organic compound analysis as a non-invasive. The analysis is ultra-sensitive, rapid and reliable for a wide range of infectious and inflammatory diseases.