Medical applications of electronic nose technology

Electronic nose technology has been developed over the past 15 years in the field of chemistry as an electronic equivalent of the biologic mechanism of smell. Since its inception, it has been well recognized that there is great potential in applying this technology to the field of medicine. This review discusses those areas of medicine in which electronic nose technology has been applied. For each area, this review addresses the scope of the medical problem that has been studied, how the electronic nose technology may help address the medical problem, and the results of such studies to date. Next generation electronic noses will be refined to better analyze specific disease states. This will require further evaluation of the specific volatiles to be tested. This information may then be brought to bear on refinement of the chemistry of the electronic nose sensors, making them more sensitive and specific for the particular disease of interest. The ultimate goal of work in this arena is to make an electronic nose that is portable, fast, inexpensive and, therefore, suitable for use in the examination room or at the bedside, making it facile as a diagnostic tool.