Detection of Liver Dysfunction Using a Wearable Electronic Nose System Based on Semiconductor Metal Oxide Sensors

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Medical Diagnostics
• Sensor Technology

Background:

• Liver dysfunction presents diagnostic challenges.
• Non-invasive methods for assessing liver health are needed.
• Semiconductor metal oxide (MOx) gas sensors offer potential for sensitive, low-cost detection.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore the classification of liver dysfunction using a wearable electronic nose.
• To determine if the extent of liver dysfunction can be quantified.
• To evaluate the efficacy of MOx gas sensors in detecting liver disease.

Main Methods:

• Utilized a wearable electronic nose with nine MOx gas sensors.
• Enrolled 30 participants: 10 healthy, 10 compensated cirrhosis, 10 decompensated cirrhosis.
• Analyzed breathing gas measurements using time and non-linear dynamics, extracting 10 features.

Main Results:

• Achieved 1.00 sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy distinguishing cirrhosis patients from healthy controls.
• Separated compensated and decompensated cirrhosis patients with 0.90 sensitivity, 1.00 specificity, and 0.95 accuracy.
• Demonstrated the system's ability to detect and quantify liver dysfunction.

Conclusions:

• The wearable electronic nose is a promising non-invasive tool for detecting liver dysfunction.
• The system offers rapid, cost-effective analysis for potential use in preoperative exams or general practice.
• Functional assessment of liver health is feasible with MOx sensor technology.