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Sniffing Out Cancer

Posted by Hemos on from the find-it-and-destroy-it dept.

Makarand writes "Researchers at the Univeristy of Rome are developing an electronic nose that can sniff out cancer by sampling people's breath. The instrument uses sensors that respond to the presence of chemical compounds in the patient's breath. For example, lung cancer patients exhale alkanes and benzene derivatives which the electronic nose will try to detect. The sensors are quartz crystal sensors coated with a substance that binds to a range of organic chemicals. If certain molecules in the breath bind to this surface coating they change the natural vibration frequency of the crystal."

5 of 112 comments (clear)

  1. Frosty Pee... or not by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Troll

    Natch

  2. what the hell, why aren't there any comments by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Troll

    i think the site is broken or something

  3. Mmmmm by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Troll

    Smells like cancer!

  4. comments like this piss me the fuck off by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Troll

    never post here again, pls. thx.

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