Abstract:
Many diseases are difficult to diagnose or present with no symptoms that would suggest that medical diagnosis is needed until significant bodily damage has occurred. We disclose a medical toilet that may be used to diagnose disease. The toilet comprises a conduit through which volatile organic compounds travel from the toilet bowl to the environment outside the toilet. The invention includes methods that comprise the steps of training an animal to identify the scent of bodily waste collected from a user that is afflicted with a defined disease. A user&#39;s bodily waste is deposited into the medical toilet and the animal is then exposed to the volatile organic compounds traveling through the conduit on the medical toilet. The animal performs an act that signals that the animal has perceived the smell associated with the disease. Thus, we disclose a novel device for diagnosing disease and methods of user thereof.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     Field of the Invention 
     This invention relates to a device for diagnosing disease and use thereof. 
     Background of the Invention 
     Many animals have heightened senses relative to humans. In fact, humans have used the relatively enhanced ability to see, hear, and smell of animals to perform tasks for hundreds of years. In particular, dogs have been used for their enhanced sense of smell to assist in tasks that include hunting, protecting livestock from predators, searching for specific humans, and detecting illegal substances. More recently, evidence has been reported that dogs have predicted seizures before they happened and identified cancer. Other organisms, including rats, mice, and insects show behavior that suggests they can identify a diseased organism. 
     It is unclear what substances animals smell when they identify disease. Furthermore, studies show that a variety of biological substances collected from a diseased human emit substances that animals distinguish from those of healthy humans. Reports of animals identifying disease include those in which the animal evaluated feces, urine, blood, and exhaled breath. Each of these biological substances emit volatile organic compounds (VOCs). It is likely that the biological samples the animals identify as those from a diseased human emit a plurality of different VOCs. It may be this combination that the animal perceives as the scent of disease. By smelling the combination of molecules that collectively identify disease, the animal may be able to diagnose with more sensitivity and specificity than available laboratory assays. Part of the reason the animal&#39;s sense of smell may be a more accurate diagnostic tool may be that laboratory assays often detect a single molecule. In contrast, an accurate diagnosis may best be obtained by detecting the simultaneous presence of multiple VOCs. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Some diseases do not present with symptoms until the disease has done significant damage. Consequently, these diseases often go undiagnosed until later in the disease process. In addition, there is no reliable diagnostic test for some diseases. A diagnostic medical device and method of its use is needed that is convenient to use, even at home. In particular, such a device is needed for diseases that do not have a reliable diagnostic test available. 
     As an answer to these problems, we disclose a medical toilet that includes a scent dispenser. The scent dispenser may be positioned on a side of the medical toilet and is in communication with the toilet bowl within the medical toilet. The scent dispenser comprises a conduit through which air from within the toilet bowl may travel to the environment outside the medical toilet. When bodily waste from the user is deposited into the toilet bowl, the bodily waste emits volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Mechanisms within the medical toilet direct the air within the toilet bowl toward and through the scent dispenser. An animal is positioned outside the medical toilet in the vicinity of the scent dispenser. According to the invention, the animal has been trained to differentiate the scent of VOCs that emit from bodily waste that was collected from a user with a defined disease from that collected from a user that is not afflicted with the defined disease. The animal performs an act which signals to an observer that the animal has perceived the scent of VOCs associated with the disease. In doing so, the user receives a diagnosis that indicates that the user may require additional health care. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a side view of a medical toilet with an embodiment of the scent dispenser. 
         FIG. 2  is a flow chart illustrating a method of using the medical toilet of  FIG. 1  comprising a trained animal. 
         FIG. 3A  is a schematic drawing of an embodiment of the medical toilet. 
         FIG. 3B  is a schematic drawing of an embodiment of the medical toilet. 
         FIG. 3C  is a schematic drawing of an embodiment of the medical toilet. 
         FIG. 4  is a schematic drawing of an embodiment of a scent dispenser and blower. 
         FIG. 5A  is a perspective view of an embodiment of the scent dispenser. 
         FIG. 5B  is a schematic drawing of a side view of the embodiment of the scent dispenser of  FIG. 5A  on an embodiment of the medical toilet. 
         FIG. 5C  is a side view of an embodiment of the scent dispenser. 
         FIG. 6A  is a canister containing insects, the canister being a part of an embodiment of the scent dispenser in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. 
         FIG. 6B  is a perspective view of a medical toilet with the canister of  FIG. 6A  mounted on the toilet. 
         FIG. 7  is a flow chart illustrating a method of using the medical toilet of  FIG. 6B  with the canister of  FIG. 6A  mounted on it. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Definitions 
     Toilet, as used herein, means a device that may be used to collect one or more biological waste products of a user. 
     User, as used herein, means a human or animal that deposits bodily waste into an embodiment of the toilet disclosed herein. 
     Bodily waste, as used herein, means any one or combination of urine, feces, vomit, sputum, blood, seminal fluid, tears, nasal mucus, gastrointestinal tract mucus, urogenital tract mucus, saliva, exhaled breath, or sweat from the body of a user. 
     Animal, as used herein, means non-human members of kingdom Animalia, including vertebrates, invertebrates, insects, and marine organisms. 
     Disease, as used herein, means any disorder of structure or function in the body or a human or animal, whether or not the disorder presents with signs or symptoms. As used herein, the term disease includes non-infectious disorders and disorders caused by physical injury. 
     Diseases that may be diagnosed according to the methods disclosed herein and using the medical toilet disclosed herein include, but are not limited to, colon adenoma, colon carcinoma, colon adenocarcinoma, colorectal adenoma, colorectal carcinoma, colorectal adenocarcinoma, bladder carcinoma, bladder adenocarcinoma, liver adenoma, liver carcinoma, liver adenocarcinoma, esophageal adenoma, esophageal carcinoma, esophageal adenocarcinoma, stomach adenoma, stomach carcinoma, stomach adenocarcinoma, pancreatic adenoma, pancreatic carcinoma, pancreatic adenocarcinoma, lung cancer, mouth cancer, throat cancer, inflammatory bowel disease, urinary tract infection, gastric ulcer, diabetes, hyperglycemia, hypoglycemia, impending seizure, and impending migraine. 
     While this invention is susceptible of embodiment in many different forms, there are shown in the drawings, which will herein be described in detail, several specific embodiments with the understanding that the present disclosure is to be considered as an exemplification of the principals of the invention and is not intended to limit the invention to the illustrated embodiments. 
     Disclosed herein is a medical toilet, which comprises a medical device used to diagnose disease in a user. The toilet differs from those used simply to collect and dispose of urine and feces at least because it includes a scent dispenser. The scent dispenser acts as a conduit through which volatile organic compounds (VOCs) may travel from the environment inside of the toilet, for example, the toilet bowl, to the environment outside the toilet, for example, the room air. 
     In some embodiments, the medical toilet comprises a blower which functions to move air surrounding the bodily waste that a user has deposited into the medical toilet, along with the VOCs contained therein, toward the scent dispenser. The blower may comprise a fan, air pump, or other device known in the art which may move air in a defined direction. In some embodiments, the blower is positioned within the toilet bowl approximately opposite the toilet bowl from the scent dispenser. This configuration results in the blower creating an air current that moves air within the toilet bowl from a point approximately opposite the scent dispenser, over and around the biological waste which is positioned between the blower and the scent dispenser, and through the scent dispenser into the environment outside of the medical toilet. 
     In another embodiment, the blower is located on the same side of the toilet bowl as the scent dispenser. Rather than create positive pressure to push air away from the blower and toward the scent dispenser, the blower of this embodiment creates negative pressure and pulls or sucks air toward the scent dispenser. Thus, the air surrounding the biological waste that within the toilet bowl, along with the VOCs contained therein, is pulled toward the scent dispenser. The air and VOCs then travel through the scent dispenser and into the environment outside the toilet. 
     Some embodiments may comprise a length of tubing in connection with the scent dispenser. A user may exhale into a first end of the tubing, thus transferring the user&#39;s breath to the scent dispenser. 
     The scent dispenser may comprise of an opening on the side of the medical toilet.  FIG. 1  illustrates an embodiment in which the medical toilet  100  appears much like a traditional toilet with a seat  120 , lid  125 , and tank  105 . However,  FIG. 1  further illustrates an embodiment of a scent dispenser on toilet  100  which comprises a frame  110  surrounding a screen  115 . Frame  110  may be constructed of a variety of materials including, but not limited to, one or more of metal, porcelain, rubber or rubberized materials, plastics that comprise of any of a variety of polymers and copolymers known in the art, glass, silicone, and ceramic. Frame  110  may be constructed of any of a variety of materials that are water resistant so as to not be damaged by exposure to toilet water. Frame  110  may include a gasket constructed of one or more of rubber, rubberized material, plastics that comprise of any of a variety of polymers and copolymers known in the art, or other materials known to prevent liquid leakage. 
     Frame  110  surrounds screen  115  which may be constructed of a porous material through which air and accompanying VOCs may travel. Screen  115  may be constructed from one or more of metal, rubber or rubberized materials, plastics that comprise of any of a variety of polymers and copolymers known in the art, and filter paper. 
     For use in diagnosis of disease, an animal is positioned near the toilet and a user deposits bodily waste into the toilet bowl. The blower is activated through mechanisms known in the art which include the use of motion sensors which would cause a signal to be transmitted to the blower when biological waste passes by the sensor. Alternatively, the user, or possibly even the animal, may turn the blower on or off by pressing a button or flipping a switch. 
     The user deposits bodily waste into the toilet through actions which include urinating or defecating into the toilet, vomiting into the toilet, coughing up sputum into the toilet, and depositing mucus into the toilet. A user may deposit nasal mucus and sputum into the toilet by coughing or blowing the user&#39;s nose into a tissue and tossing the tissue into the toilet. 
     An animal may be trained to sniff the scent dispenser in response to a command or signal which the user gives the animal when the user desires the animal to assess the presence of disease in the user. Alternatively, the animal may simply be trained that the scent dispense is something that the animal should sniff and do so when placed in the proximity of the toilet. Furthermore, the animal may be an insect that is placed in a container. The container may be attached to or placed in the vicinity of the scent dispenser avoiding any need to train the animal to approach the scent dispenser. 
     The animal must also be trained to identify a disease by the smell of bodily waste collected from a user who has that disease and to differentiate this from scents emitted by bodily waste collected from users who do not have the disease. Furthermore, the animal must be trained to perform a behavior that functions as a signal to the user that the animal has detected the scent of disease in the user&#39;s bodily waste. Methods of training an animal to identify a sample of bodily waste that was obtained from a diseased organism as well as methods to train the animal to provide a signal to communicate upon perceiving a particular scent are known in the art and within the scope of the methods disclosed herein. 
       FIG. 2  is a flow chart that illustrates an embodiment of a method of using the medical toilet disclosed herein. In this embodiment, the animal is first trained to identify bodily waste collected from a user and differentiate whether the user is afflicted with a particular disease or not. The animal is trained to perform a defined act upon perceiving the scent associated with the disease. Next the animal is trained to sniff the scent dispenser on command. The animal is now ready to participate in diagnosis of a user. Not that in some embodiments, the step of, training to sniff the scent dispenser on command may not be necessary. The animal is then brought to the medical toilet and a user&#39;s bodily waste is deposited into the toilet. The animal is given the command to sniff the scent dispenser after which the animal may perform the defined act that indicates the animal&#39;s perception of the scent associated with the disease. If the animal does not perceive the scent associated with the disease, it will not perform the defined act. Finally, the animal&#39;s response may be reported to a health care provider. 
       FIG. 3A  illustrates one embodiment of the medical toilet, a scent dispenser, and its use with an animal. In this embodiment, the animal is a dog, although the animal may be another species. Toilet bowl  350  is drawn schematically as a rectangle. Bodily waste sample  310  is schematically represented by an elliptical shape. Bodily waste sample  310  is positioned between blower  315  and scent dispenser  305 . When blower  315  is actuated, air moves from blower  315  toward scent dispenser  305  as indicated by the solid arrows. This arrangement results in VOCs  325  emitted from biological waste sample  310  being driven, along with the air, toward scent dispenser  305 . VOCs  325  travel through scent dispenser  305  to the environment outside the toilet. There, animal  320  may perceive the scent of VOCs  325 . 
       FIG. 3B  illustrates another embodiment of the medical toilet, scent dispenser  305 , and its use with animal  320 . In this embodiment, the medical toilet comprises receptacle  340 . While receptacle  340  is illustrated as a cup, it may contain solid material such as feces. In one embodiment, receptacle  340  contain toilet water or another solvent to at least partially dissolve solid waste and release VOCs  325  from within the solid mass. As with the embodiment of  FIG. 3A , blower  315  moves air in the direction illustrated by the solid arrows, over the top of receptacle  340 , and through scent dispenser  305 . Animal  320  then sniffs VOCs  325  to determine if they contain the disease scent. 
       FIG. 3C  illustrates another embodiment of the medical toilet, scent dispenser  305 , and its use with animal  320 . In this embodiment, the medical toilet comprises J-tube  330 . J-tube  330  is bent with a lower end and an upper end. In this embodiment, the lower end of J-tube  330  is positioned below the surface of toilet water  335 . The upper end of J-tube  330  is positioned above the surface of toilet water  335 . Bodily waste is deposited into toilet bowl  350  and some or all of the bodily waste is dissolved in toilet water  335 . At least some of the dissolved bodily waste enters the lower end of J-tube  330 . Through capillary action, the dissolved bodily waste moves through the bottom of J-tube  330  and up through the upper end of J-tube  330 . The fluid movement occurs according to the following capillary action formula:
 
 h =(2γθ)/(μ gr )
 
where h is the height the bodily waste solution moves up the upper end of J-tube  330 , γ is the liquid-air surface tension (force/unit length), θ is the contact angle, ρ is the density of the liquid (mass/volume), g is the local acceleration due to gravity (length/divided by the square of time), and r is the radius of J-tube  330 .
 
     The diameter of J-tube  330  may be within the range that, according to the capillary action formula, that brings the bodily waste solution to a level that allows VOCs  325  to be drawn out by the air current generated by blower  315  and moved toward scent dispenser  305 . Once VOCs  325  travel through scent dispense  305 , animal  320  may perceive their scent. 
       FIG. 4  illustrates an embodiment of the medical toilet that comprises blower  405 . In contrast to blower  315  of  FIGS. 3A, 3B, and 3C , blower  405  is positioned within toilet bowl  350  adjacent scent dispenser  305 . More specifically, blower  405  is positioned between scent dispenser  305  and VOCs  325  that have been emitted from bodily waste. In contrast to blower  315 , blower  405  creates negative pressure. Consequently, blower  405  pulls air toward scent dispenser  305  instead of pushing air. 
       FIG. 5A  illustrates an embodiment of a scent dispenser. Sniff dispenser  500  comprises a porous material  505  surrounded by frame  510 . Porous material  505  may comprise of a screen with holes of a size that allow VOCs to escape from behind screen  505  but protect blotting sheet  515  from damage that might occur, for example, from the animal&#39;s nose touching blotting sheet  515 . 
     Frame  510  surrounds the perimeter of porous material  505  and may be constructed from metal, porcelain, rubber or rubberized materials, plastics that comprise of any of a variety of polymers and copolymers known in the art, glass, silicone, and ceramic. Frame  510  may be constructed of any of a variety of materials that are water resistant so as to not be damaged by exposure to toilet water. Frame  510  may include a gasket constructed of one or more of rubber, rubberized material, plastics that comprise of any of a variety of polymers and copolymers known in the art, or other materials known to prevent liquid leakage. 
       FIG. 5A  further illustrates blotting sheet  515 . Frame  520  surrounds the perimeter of blotting sheet  515 . Blotting sheet  515  may comprise of any absorbent material, including but not limited to, paper, cotton, polyester, hemp, bamboo, modal fabric, and polyamide. As one of skill in the art will readily understand, any material that absorbs liquid and allows VOCs to escape from the material may be used to manufacture blotting sheet  515 . 
     Frame  510  may be constructed to receive and hold frame  520 , frame  520  being in combination with blotting sheet  515 , such that blotting sheet  515  is positioned behind porous material  505 . In one embodiment, frames  510  and  520  are constructed so that frame  520  is a cassette that slides laterally to a position within frame  510  fits within frame  510 .  FIG. 5B  provides a side view of frame  520  positioned within frame  510  in an embodiment of a medical toilet in accordance with the disclosed invention. 
     Blotting sheet  515  may be positioned within the medical toilet, such that toilet water or other solvent comes in physical contact with at least a part of blotting sheet  515  when a user has deposited bodily waste into the toilet. Alternatively, blotting sheet  515  may be positioned such that liquid bodily waste comes directly in physical contact with blotting sheet  515  without being diluted by solvent. For example, the user&#39;s urine stream may come in contact with blotting sheet  515 . 
     In either scenario, blotting sheet  515  wicks the solution or liquid bodily waste so that it is spread across blotting sheet  515 . VOCs evaporate into the environment outside the toilet, traveling through porous material  505 . The animal is then able to smell the VOCs to assess them for the disease scent. 
       FIG. 5B  illustrates yet another embodiment of the invention which incorporates the scent dispenser of  FIG. 5A . In addition, the embodiment of  FIG. 5B  comprises a receptacle  525  which is in connection with pipe  530 . Similar to receptacle  340  of  FIG. 3B , receptacle  525  is positioned to receive bodily waste which the user deposits through the hole in seat  120 . Receptacle  525  may be above or below the surface of the toilet water. In embodiments in which receptacle  525  is positioned below the surface of the toilet water, bodily waste, including solid waste, may be dissolved by the toilet water. Alternatively, other solvents may be present in receptacle  525  which may dissolve solid waste. 
     The bodily waste, which may or may not be dissolved in a solvent, travels through pipe  530  toward the scent dispenser. Blotting sheet  515  extends from frame  520  such that it is in contact with the interior of the end of pipe  530 . The liquid bodily waste or bodily waste solution is wicked up into and throughout blotting sheet  515 . VOCs evaporate from blotting sheet  515 , travel through porous material  505 , and into the environment outside of the medical toilet. The animal is then able to smell the VOCs to assess them for the disease scent. 
       FIG. 5C  is another embodiment of a scent dispenser according to the disclosed invention. Concentrator  540  is a cone-shaped embodiment of a scent dispenser which funnels VOCs  325  into a smaller space. VOCs  325  emerge from the smaller end of concentrator  325 . VOCs  325  move in the direction of the solid arrows shown in  FIG. 5C . The volume of room air occupied by the VOCs  325  is smaller so the animal receives a more concentrated gas stream. One or more of the blowers disclosed herein may be used to provide force to move VOCs  325  through concentrator  540 . 
     While  FIGS. 3A, 3B, and 3C  illustrate a dog,  FIG. 6A  illustrates an embodiment in which insects  615  identify the scent associated with bodily waste collected from a diseased user.  FIG. 6A  illustrates container  605  which may be a canister or other enclosure that will contain live insects. One end of container  605  includes attachment device  610  which functions similar to frame  510  of  FIG. 5A . Attachment device  610  may include a porous material that covers the end of container  605  and allows VOCs  325  to enter container  605 . Insects  615  smell VOCs  325  as they enter container  605 . Like the embodiment in which the animal comprises a dog, insects  615  have been trained to differentiate between the scent of bodily waste from a user that is afflicted with a defined disease from bodily waste from a user that is not afflicted with the disease. Also, insects  615  respond by performing a defined act that signals to an observer when insects  615  have perceived the scent associated with the disease. 
       FIG. 6B  illustrates the container  605  of  FIG. 6A  as it appears when attached to toilet  620  which is an embodiment of the medical toilet disclosed herein. Similar to other embodiments of the scent dispenser, container  605  attaches to toilet  620  on a side of toilet  620 . Container  605  is in communication with the toilet bowl of toilet  620 . 
       FIG. 7  is a flow chart that illustrates an embodiment of a method in which container  605  and insects  615  may be used in accordance with the disclosed invention. Insects  605  may be trained to perform a defined act when they are exposed to the scent of bodily waste that was collected from a user afflicted with a defined disease. The defined act may comprise of one or more of vibrating, extending a proboscis, increased movement, emitting a sound whether or not the sound is audible by the human ear. One of skill in the art will understand that other insect behaviors may indicate perception of the disease scent by insects  615 . 
     While specific embodiments have been illustrated and described above, it is to be understood that the disclosure provided is not limited to the precise configuration, steps, and components disclosed. Various modifications, changes, and variations apparent to those of skill in the art may be made in the arrangement, operation, and details of the methods and systems disclosed, with the aid of the present disclosure. 
     Without further elaboration, it is believed that one skilled in the art can use the preceding description to utilize the present disclosure to its fullest extent. The examples and embodiments disclosed herein are to be construed as merely illustrative and exemplary and not a limitation of the scope of the present disclosure in any way. It will be apparent to those having skill in the art that changes may be made to the details of the above-described embodiments without departing from the underlying principles of the disclosure herein.