System to be used for the determination of no levels in exhaled air and diagnostic methods for disorders related to abnormal no levels
US5922610A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jan 5, 1996 |
| Grant date | Jul 13, 1999 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jan 5, 2016 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY10T436/25875
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
The present invention is drawn to a system to be used for measuring NO levels in exhaled breathing air. The system comprises: (i) a face mask that tightly covers the nose and/or mouth of the individual that the mask is intended to be used on; (ii) an inlet unit for inhaled breathing air, (iii) an outlet unit for exhaled breathing air, (iv) a non-rebreathing valve through which inhaled and exhaled breathing air, respectively, passes, and (v) a measuring unit for NO connected to the outlet unit. The present invention furthers encompasses a method for the diagnosis in mammals of inflammatory conditions in the airways. The characteristic feature is that nitric oxide NO is measured in exhaled breathing air and a found abnormal level is taken as an indication of an inflammatory condition in the airways.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.