Laser to detect molecules in breath that indicate cancer and asthma

National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and the University of Colorado at Boulder have developed a technique that could help the doctors to detect asthma and cancer by using laser light.

Using the technique, cavity-enhanced direct optical frequency comb spectroscopy the doctors can detect molecules in the breath which can indicate the diseases like asthma and cancer.

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Jun Ye one of the researcher said, “This technique can give a broad picture of many different molecules in the breath all at once.”

Published in February edition of Optic Express the study described the way doctor can detect molecule by flashing a person’s breath with laser light.

The study said, “When breathing people inhale and exhale a complex mixture of gases and just as bad breath can indicate dental problems, excess methylamine may signal liver and kidney disease, ammonia may be a sign of renal failure, elevated acetone levels can indicate diabetes and nitric oxide levels can be used to diagnose asthma.”

During the study the students were told to breathe into an optical cavity between two mirrors and laser was flashed in the cavity. The scientists then detected the light frequencies that were absorbed, thus accessing the molecules present in the cavity.

The researcher could detect the trace of gasses like ammonia, carbon monoxide and methane; they also could find that a volunteer who smoked has five times more carbon monoxide than others

The study describes the potential of laser as limitless in detecting the molecule which can act as a little radio station that broadcasting its own frequency. Through this technology a doctor can look at one’s breath entirely and can trace out molecule related to certain disease at early stage.

Ye teamed up with CU graduate assistant Michael Thorpe, doctoral student Matthew Kirchner and former graduate student David Balslev-Clausen to delve in this technology using laser to detect various diseases. The researcher believes that this technique can be answer to invasive diagnostic procedures.