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Updated: Oct 12, 2025
Development of a Lateral Flow Immunochromatographic Strip for Rapid and Quantitative Detection of Small Molecule Compounds
Published on: November 13, 2021
5G-Enabled intelligent construction of a chest pain center with up-conversion lateral flow immunoassay
Lei Huang1, Shulin Tian1, Wenhao Zhao1
1School of Automation Engineering, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu 611731, P. R. China. liuke@uestc.edu.cn.
Insights
A new up-conversion fluorescence reader rapidly detects cardiac troponin I (cTnI), a key marker for acute myocardial infarction (AMI). This technology integrated with 5G mobile networks enables real-time remote patient monitoring and may predict AMI onset.
Area of Science:
- Biomedical Engineering
- Medical Diagnostics
- Nanotechnology
Background:
- Acute myocardial infarction (AMI) presents a significant global health challenge due to its rapid onset and high mortality rates.
- Accurate and timely diagnosis of AMI is crucial for effective patient management, with cardiac troponin I (cTnI) serving as the established diagnostic standard.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a rapid and accurate method for quantifying cardiac troponin I (cTnI) concentration in serum for acute myocardial infarction (AMI) diagnosis.
- To integrate this diagnostic tool with 5G mobile technology for real-time remote monitoring and potential prediction of AMI.
Main Methods:
- Development of an up-conversion fluorescence reader utilizing upconverting nanoparticles as probes for lateral flow immunoassay.
- Quantification of cTnI concentration based on fluorescence intensity, achieving detection in 15 minutes within a 0.1-50 ng mL⁻¹ range.
- Integration with a 5G-enabled intelligent chest pain center for wireless data transmission, edge computing, cloud storage, and remote patient monitoring via smartphone application.
Main Results:
- The developed reader demonstrated reliable detection of cTnI in serum within 15 minutes, with a lower detection limit of 0.1 ng mL⁻¹.
- Successful adaptation of the reader for use in a 5G mobile network environment, enabling real-time data transmission from ambulances.
- Establishment of a system for electronic health records, remote patient monitoring, and potential AMI onset prediction through big data analysis.
Conclusions:
- The up-conversion lateral flow immunoassay reader offers a rapid and sensitive method for cTnI detection, crucial for early AMI diagnosis.
- Integration with 5G technology transforms the chest pain center into an intelligent, connected system for enhanced emergency cardiac care.
- This innovative approach holds the potential to significantly improve patient outcomes by reducing diagnosis and treatment times for AMI.
Abstract:
Acute myocardial infarction (AMI) has become a worldwide health problem because of its rapid onset and high mortality. Cardiac troponin I (cTnI) is the gold standard for diagnosis of AMI, and its rapid and accurate detection is critical for early diagnosis and management of AMI. Using a lateral flow immunoassay with upconverting nanoparticles as fluorescent probes, we developed an up-conversion fluorescence reader capable of rapidly quantifying the cTnI concentration in serum based upon the fluorescence intensity of the test and control lines on the test strip. Reliable detection of cTnI in the range 0.1-50 ng mL-1 could be achieved in 15 min, with a lower detection limit of 0.1 ng mL-1. The reader was also adapted for use on a 5th generation (5G) mobile network enabled intelligent chest pain center. Through Bluetooth wireless communication, the results achieved using the reader on an ambulance heading to a central hospital could be transmitted to a 5G smartphone and uploaded for real-time edge computing and cloud storage. An application in the 5G smartphone allows users to upload their medical information to establish dedicated electronic health records and doctors to monitor patients' health status and provide remote medical services. Combined with mobile internet and big data, the 5G-enabled intelligent chest pain center with up-conversion lateral flow immunoassay may predict the onset of AMI and save valuable time for patients suffering an AMI.
