AiDA: A new technique for diagnosis of disease in small airways and peripheral lung

Bakgrund:

Diseases in the small airways (< 2 mm in diameter) and acinus are among the most common causes of death globally. Nevertheless, precise and accessible tools to detect disease in this part of the lung is largely lacking. We have discovered that the deposition probability of inhaled nanoparticles can be used for measurement of the dimensions of the peripheral airspaces.

This is a conceptually new and unique method for diagnosis that has not been investigated previously. We have named it AiDA. A measurement is made in a few minutes without patient discomfort. Preliminary results show a significant difference between normal subjects and patients with COPD. Målsättning:

The purpose of this project is to develop AiDA and carry out clinical examinations of the method. Specific aims are to 1) to improve the AiDA instrument by a efficient methods for nanoparticle generation and detection, 2) clinical studies for comparison of AiDA and MRI with hyperpolarized gas (the only available method to measure acinar airspaces), examination of interstitial lung disease and characterization of AiDA for children c) development of the theoretical model that relates measured values to physical airspace dimensions.

Arbetsplan:

The AiDA instrument is developed at the Faculty of Engineering at Lund University where we have access both to an advanced aerosol laboratory and state-of-the-art optical techniques. Clinical studies are carried out mainly at the Faculty of Medicine (LU), with exception for the MRI measurements that are performed at University of Sheffield in UK. Most of the experimental part of the MRI-study is already made, but much work with data analysis remains.

AiDA measurements on interstitial lung disease is carried out as an add-on to a cohort study on patients with Sjögren’s syndrome. Measurements on children are also made in collaboration with another study where lung function will be studied for this group. The theoretical model for AiDA is developed in collaboration with a research group at University of Cyprus.

Betydelse:

We believe that AiDA is a sensitive tool for diagnosis of disease in the distal airspaces. It is cheap, fast and does not involve radiation. The instrument can be constructed to include spirometry and then be a “one stop shop” for diagnosis in primary care.