Microfluidics as diagnostic tools

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Medical Diagnostics

Background:

• Disease management relies heavily on diagnostic procedures' precision, speed, and ease.
• Biomedical engineering innovations, particularly microfluidic chip technology, are transforming healthcare and improving patient outcomes.
• Microfluidics enables miniaturization and integration of laboratory functions onto a single chip for point-of-care diagnostics.

Purpose of the Study:

• To provide a comprehensive review of microfluidic chip technology's utility in diagnosing various diseases.
• To highlight the application of microfluidics in diagnosing autoimmune disorders, cardiovascular diseases (CVDs), infectious diseases, and neurodegenerative conditions.
• To discuss detection technologies for precise CVD diagnosis using microfluidics.

Main Methods:

• Review of existing literature on microfluidic chip applications in disease diagnosis.
• Inclusion of global health threats like rheumatoid arthritis, diabetes, tuberculosis, COVID-19, Alzheimer's, and multiple sclerosis.
• Discussion of electrochemical, electrical, optical, and acoustic detection methods for CVD diagnosis.

Main Results:

• Microfluidic platforms offer "one flow - one solution" systems for integrated diagnostics.
• These technologies enable "point-of-care" diagnostics through miniaturization.
• Advancements facilitate precise and early disease diagnosis.

Conclusions:

• Microfluidic chip technology is revolutionizing disease diagnosis across a spectrum of conditions.
• The integration of multiple lab functions onto a single chip enhances diagnostic capabilities.
• Early and precise diagnosis is significantly improved by microfluidics-based advancements.