Method and system for analyzing a sample desorbed at different temperatures using cavity ring-down spectroscopy, and a method for generating a predictive model

A system for analyzing a sample using cavity ring-down spectroscopy, comprising:

• a ring-down cavity;
• at least one laser operable to generate a laser beam at each of a first set of wavelengths, the laser beam being directed into the ring-down cavity;
• a sample-loading system for loading a first part of a breath sample from a thermal desorption tube into the ring-down cavity for analysis, and for unloading the first part of the breath sample from the ring-down cavity;
• a light intensity sensor system positioned to register light intensity decay data for light exiting the ring-down cavity;
• at least one processor operably coupled to the sample-loading system, the at least one laser, and the light intensity sensor system;
• a storage storing computer-readable instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to:
• control the sample-loading system to desorb the first part of the breath sample by heating the thermal desorption tube to a first desorption temperature to load the first part of the breath sample into the ring-down cavity;
• for each of the first set of wavelengths:
• operate the at least one laser to generate the laser beam directed into the ring-down cavity;
• extinguish the laser beam entering the ring-down cavity;
• and
• register light intensity decay data for light exiting the ring-down cavity via the light intensity sensor system;
• control the sample-loading system to desorb a second part of the sample by heating the thermal desorption tube to a second desorption temperature to load the second part of the sample into the ring-down cavity after unloading the first part of the sample from the ring-down cavity,
• for each of a second set of wavelengths:
• operate the at least one laser to generate the laser beam directed into the ring-down cavity;
• extinguish the laser beam entering the ring-down cavity;
• and
• register light intensity decay data for light exiting the ring-down cavity via the light intensity sensor system;
• and
• determine a probability from the light intensity decay data for the first set of wavelengths that a subject from which the breath sample was received has a physiological condition or a degree of a physiological condition at least indirectly using a predictive model that is at least partially based on a dataset of light intensity decay data for previously analyzed breath samples for which the presence or absence of the physiological condition or the degree of the physiological condition has been identified.

A method for analyzing a sample using cavity ring-down spectroscopy, comprising:

• heating a thermal desorption tube to a first desorption temperature to desorb a first part of a sample contained therein;
• loading the first part of the sample into a ring-down cavity;
• for each of a first set of wavelengths:
• generating, via at least one laser, a laser beam at the wavelength that is directed into the ring-down cavity;
• extinguishing the laser beam entering the cavity;
• and
• registering light intensity decay data for light exiting the ring-down cavity via a light intensity sensor system;
• unloading the first part of the sample from the ring-down cavity;
• heating the thermal desorption tube to a second desorption temperature to desorb a second part of the sample contained therein;
• loading the second part of the sample into the ring-down cavity;
• for each of a second set of wavelengths:
• generating, via the at least one laser, a laser beam at the wavelength that is directed into the ring-down cavity;
• extinguishing the laser beam entering the cavity;
• and
• registering light intensity decay data for light exiting the ring-down cavity via the light intensity sensor system;
• and
• analyzing the light intensity decay data desorbed at the first desorption temperature and the light intensity decay data desorbed at the second desorption temperature to detect a probability that a subject from which the sample was received has a physiological condition or a degree of a physiological condition.