Rapid “Breath-Print” of Liver Cirrhosis by Proton Transfer Reaction Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometry. A Pilot Study

• Published in: PloS one Vol. 8; no. 4; p. e59658
• Main Authors: Morisco, Filomena, Aprea, Eugenio, Lembo, Vincenzo, Fogliano, Vincenzo, Vitaglione, Paola, Mazzone, Giovanna, Cappellin, Luca, Gasperi, Flavia, Masone, Stefania, De Palma, Giovanni Domenico, Marmo, Riccardo, Caporaso, Nicola, Biasioli, Franco
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Public Library of Science 03.04.2013; Public Library of Science (PLoS)
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Agriculture; Alcohol; Alcohols; Alkadienes - metabolism; Biology; Biomarkers - metabolism; Breath Tests - methods; Cancer; Case-Control Studies; Chemistry; Cirrhosis; Clinical medicine; Development and progression; Diabetes; Diagnosis; Diagnostic systems; Etiology; Evidence-based medicine; Exhalation; Female; Food; Food quality; Humans; Insulin resistance; Ketones; Ketones - metabolism; Liver; Liver cirrhosis; Liver Cirrhosis - diagnosis; Liver Cirrhosis - metabolism; Liver diseases; Male; Mass spectrometry; Mass Spectrometry - methods; Mass spectroscopy; Medicine; Metabolism; Middle Aged; Monoterpenes - metabolism; Nitrogen compounds; Nutrition; Organic chemicals; Organic compounds; Patients; Pentanone; Pilot Projects; Reaction time; ROC Curve; Scientific imaging; Spectroscopy; Sulfur; Surgery; Terpenes; Time-of-flight mass spectrometry; VOCs; Volatile organic compounds; Italy

The aim of the present work was to test the potential of Proton Transfer Reaction Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometry (PTR-ToF-MS) in the diagnosis of liver cirrhosis and the assessment of disease severity by direct analysis of exhaled breath. Twenty-six volunteers have been enrolled in this study: 12...