Study on the Efficacy of High-Throughput Real-Time Mass Spectrometry Detection of Exhaled Breath for Rapid Diagnosis of Pulmonary Tuberculosis
Abstract
Objective: To evaluate the clinical efficacy of high-throughput real-time mass spectrometry detection technology for exhaled breath in the rapid diagnosis of pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB), providing a novel technological support for early screening and diagnosis of PTB. Methods: A total of 120 PTB patients admitted to a hospital from January 2023 to June 2024 were selected as the case group, and 150 healthy individuals and patients with non-tuberculous pulmonary diseases during the same period were selected as the control group. Exhaled breath samples were collected from all study subjects, and the types and concentrations of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in the samples were detected using a high-throughput real-time mass spectrometer. A diagnostic model was constructed using machine learning algorithms, and core indicators such as diagnostic sensitivity, specificity, and area under the curve (AUC) of this technology were analyzed and compared with the efficacy of traditional sputum smear examination, sputum culture, and GeneXpert MTB/RIF detection. Results: The diagnostic sensitivity of the high-throughput real-time mass spectrometry diagnostic model for exhaled breath in diagnosing PTB was 92.5%, the specificity was 94.0%, and the AUC was 0.978, which were significantly higher than those of sputum smear examination (sensitivity 58.3%, specificity 90.0%, AUC 0.741). Compared with GeneXpert technology, its specificity was comparable (94.0% vs 93.3%), and the detection time was shortened to less than 15 minutes. The model achieved an accuracy of 91.3% in distinguishing PTB from other pulmonary diseases and was not affected by demographic factors such as age and gender. Conclusion: High-throughput real-time mass spectrometry detection technology for exhaled breath has the advantages of being non-invasive, rapid, highly sensitive, and highly specific, and holds significant clinical application value in the rapid diagnosis and large-scale screening of PTB, warranting further promotion.
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