REPORTAGE
What if our smells became a tool for diagnosing a disease? This is the idea behind the VolatolHome project, presented on January 25 at the French-language pneumology congress in Paris. By analyzing very precisely the "volatile organic compounds" exhaled from their patients, a research team at Foch Hospital intends to go so far as to predict the course of diseases.
A mass spectrometer that analyzes the breath of patients
Concretely, the patient must "breathe long and completely" in a mass spectrometer. The exhaled air is then analyzed by a cube 1.50 m high, previously fed with millions of data on the molecules contained in the breath of sick people, and others healthy. The goal is to make it one of the most powerful noses in the world, and to surpass dogs capable of detecting diseases, such as breast cancer.
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"We see in this new technological approach only advantages. It is fast: I'm coming, hello doctor, breathe, goodbye." explains to the microphone of Europe 1 Philippe Devillier, one of the five doctors in the program. "It is also non-invasive, with no blood test, no radio, no rays, nothing. In addition, it is potentially very informative. So this technology must bring us a new approach to pathology, and care. We are completely excited . "
Predict treatment before the disease develops
Ultimately, the researchers hope that VolatolHome will be able to choose the right treatment in advance in as many cases as possible, in order to avoid subjecting patients to chemotherapy or unnecessary transplants, for example. The first results on the efficiency of the technology are expected this year.