Accurate method to characterize airway nitric oxide using different breath-hold times including axial diffusion of nitric oxide using heliox and breath hold

US7427269B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• The Regents of the University of California · US

Inventors

• Steven C. George · Chesterfield, US
• Hye Won Shin · Seoul, KR
• Peter Condorelli · Irvine, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Dec 8, 2006
• Grant date: Sep 23, 2008
• Expiry date: Apr 26, 2027

Classification

• Technology area (CPC A): Human Necessities
• CPC primary: A61B5/083
• WIPO field: Medical technology
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

An apparatus and method to characterize NO gas exchange dynamics in human lungs comprising the steps of: (1) performing a series of breath hold maneuvers of progressively increasingly breath hold times, each breath hold maneuver comprising a) inhaling a gas, b) holding a breath for a selected time duration, and c) exhaling at a flow rate which is uncontrolled but which is effective to ensure evacuation of the airway space and (2) measuring airway NO parameters during consecutive breath hold maneuvers. As a result disease states of the lungs are diagnosed using the measured airway NO parameters.