We use cookies to understand how you use our site and to improve your experience. This includes personalizing content and advertising. To learn more, click here. By continuing to use our site, you accept our use of cookies. Cookie Policy.

Features Partner Sites Information LinkXpress hp
Sign In
Advertise with Us
GLOBE SCIENTIFIC, LLC

Download Mobile App




Esophageal Cancer Precursor Detected by Electronic Nose Device

By LabMedica International staff writers
Posted on 10 Mar 2020
Barrett's esophagus is a condition in which the lining of the esophagus changes, becoming more like the lining of the small intestine rather than the esophagus. More...
This occurs in the area where the esophagus is joined to the stomach.

The main cause of Barrett's esophagus is thought to be an adaptation to chronic acid exposure from reflux esophagitis. Barrett's esophagus is diagnosed by endoscopy: observing the characteristic appearance of this condition by direct inspection of the lower esophagus; followed by microscopic examination of tissue from the affected area obtained from biopsy.

Gastroenterologists at the Radboud University Medical Center (Nijmegen, the Netherlands) and their colleagues wanted to see how effective and accurate a portable 'electronic nose' device would be for picking up Barrett's esophagus. Some 402 adults scheduled for endoscopy breathed into a highly sensitive electronic nose, designed to detect subtle differences in volatile organic compounds (VOCs) patterns, for five minutes. Of this group, 129 patients had Barrett's esophagus; 141 had acid reflux disease, including 50 who had an inflamed esophagus as a result; and 132 had a normal esophagus or hiatus hernia that accounted for their symptoms.

Analysis of VOCs profiles detected by the electronic nose showed that these differed significantly among patients with Barrett's esophagus, acid reflux, and those with a normal esophagus/hernia. The sensitivity of the device was 91%, its ability to pick up Barrett's esophagus and its specificity was 74%, its ability to detect those without the condition. When the analysis was further restricted to patients who had been taking drugs (proton pump inhibitors) to curb stomach acid production for at least a month or those with a hiatus hernia, both of which are likely to muddy the diagnostic waters, its accuracy was still good.

The authors concluded that the technique analyzing VOCs with an electronic nose may enable an efficient, well-tolerated, and sensitive and specific screening method to select high-risk individuals to undergo upper endoscopy. The study was published on February 25, 2020 in the journal GUT.

Related Links:
Radboud University Medical Center


Gold Member
Troponin T QC
Troponin T Quality Control
3-Part Differential Hematology Analyzer
Swelab Alfa Plus Sampler
New
Staining System
RAL DIFF-QUIK
New
Pan-Cancer Panel
TruSight Oncology 500
Read the full article by registering today, it's FREE! It's Free!
Register now for FREE to LabMedica.com and get access to news and events that shape the world of Clinical Laboratory Medicine.
  • Free digital version edition of LabMedica International sent by email on regular basis
  • Free print version of LabMedica International magazine (available only outside USA and Canada).
  • Free and unlimited access to back issues of LabMedica International in digital format
  • Free LabMedica International Newsletter sent every week containing the latest news
  • Free breaking news sent via email
  • Free access to Events Calendar
  • Free access to LinkXpress new product services
  • REGISTRATION IS FREE AND EASY!
Click here to Register








DIASOURCE (A Biovendor Company)

Channels

Hematology

view channel
Image: CitoCBC is the world first cartridge-based CBC to be granted CLIA Waived status by FDA (Photo courtesy of CytoChip)

Disposable Cartridge-Based Test Delivers Rapid and Accurate CBC Results

Complete Blood Count (CBC) is one of the most commonly ordered lab tests, crucial for diagnosing diseases, monitoring therapies, and conducting routine health screenings. However, more than 90% of physician... Read more

Immunology

view channel
Image: A simple blood test could replace surgical biopsies for early detecion of heart transplant rejection (Photo courtesy of Shutterstock)

Blood Test Detects Organ Rejection in Heart Transplant Patients

Following a heart transplant, patients are required to undergo surgical biopsies so that physicians can assess the possibility of organ rejection. Rejection happens when the recipient’s immune system identifies... Read more

Pathology

view channel
These images illustrate how precision oncology Organ Chips recapitulate individual patients’ responses to chemotherapy (Photo courtesy of Wyss Institute at Harvard University)

Cancer Chip Accurately Predicts Patient-Specific Chemotherapy Response

Esophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC), one of the two primary types of esophageal cancer, ranks as the sixth leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide and currently lacks effective targeted therapies.... Read more
Copyright © 2000-2025 Globetech Media. All rights reserved.