Daniel Chan, MD, a gastroenterologist at Rochester, Minn.-based Mayo Clinic, led a research team that developed an electronic nose which tests the breath of patients with Barrett's esophagus for organic compounds, Gastroenterology and Endoscopy News reports.
Here's what you should know.
1. The machine detects certain organic compounds Barrett's esophagus creates in a patient's breath.
2. Dr. Chan and his team tested 85 participants and presented their findings at Digestive Disease Week 2016.
3. The participants received an endoscopy then breathed into the electronic nose for five minutes.
4. The nose analyzed their breath using an algorithm to identify the patients with Barrett's esophagus.
5. The device had 86 percent sensitivity, 90 percent specificity and 80 percent accuracy. Patients also reported preferring the device to an endoscopy.