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“Diagnosing diseases from breath is an idea that is more than 2,000 years old. The difference is that we are now carrying out research that will help us to analyse the molecules in the exhaled air more accurately with spectroscopy,” says docent Olavi Vaittinen from the Department of Chemistry.

All diseases involve changes at the molecular level. For instance, exhaled air always has small concentrations of poisonous hydrogen cyanide, but its concentration increases in some diseases. “The concentration of hydrogen cyanide is increased for a few minutes by smoking, by some foods, but also by certain disease-causing bacteria.”

Equipment exists that identifies and measures molecules, but Vaittinen’s research is a first on a global scale as the entire branch is still in its infancy. The aim is to measure concentrations below one billionth of the volume of the exhaled air.

“We do not yet have a method that can analyse molecular concentrations in exhaled air this accurately.  Furthermore, existing equipment often recognises only one kind of molecule, whereas our device can identify several.”

Vaittinen collaborates with representatives of the medical field, and the future aim is to develop a commercial application for diagnostics if the project receives funding. 

Sweden has already developed a device for asthma diagnostics. It measures the amount of nitrogen monoxide in exhaled air and determines, with 90% accuracy, whether the patient has asthma or not.

The device now being developed would analyse several different molecules more accurately than ever before, so it would help in diagnosing more than just one disease. “I think the ‘disease-o-meter’ would help in diagnosing diabetes, liver and kidney diseases and cancers. For instance, breast cancer is associated with formaldehyde, which could be measured.”

Text: Niina Viitanen
Photo: Joseph Guss
www.helsinki.fi/digitalcommunications

Translation: Valtasana Oy