Patent ID: 6254547
Filing Date: 2001-07-03
Classification: A61B,G01N,Y10S

Abstract:
A process for determining the presence or absence of disease in a mammal, including a human, which comprises:collecting a representative sample of alveolar breath from the mammal;collecting a representative sample of ambient air;analyzing the samples of breath and air to determine content of n-alkanes having 2 to 20 carbon atoms, inclusive analyzing the samples of breath and air to determine the methylation site, if any, of n-alkanes having 3 to 20 carbon atoms, inclusive;calculating the alveolar gradients of the n-alkanes having 2 to 20 carbon atoms, inclusive, in the breath sample in order to determine a first component of the alkane profile;calculating the alveolar gradients of methylated alkanes having 3 to 20 carbon atoms, inclusive, in the breath sample in order to determine a second component the alkane profile and comparing the alkane profile to baseline alkane profiles calculated for mammals known to be free of the disease to be determined;the finding of differences in the alkane profile from the baseline alkane profile being indicative of the presence of the disease.