The invention provides a save and non-invasive alternative to the traditional modified Evans blue dye test for dysphagia in intubated patients. The method employs direct application of dye to the tongue, in combination with a tracheal tube that provides suction in the subglottal region above the cuff. By keeping the cuff inflated, the aspiration of food and liquid, as used in the traditional test, is avoided entirely.

The volume of a hyperinflated lung compartment is reduced by sealing a distal end of the catheter in an airway feeding the lung compartment. Air passes out of the lung compartment through a passage in the catheter while the patient exhales. A one-way flow element associated with the catheter prevents air from re-entering the lung compartment as the patient inhales. Over time, the pressure of regions surrounding the lung compartment cause it to collapse as the volume of air diminishes. Residual volume reduction effectively results in functional lung volume expansion. Optionally, the lung compartment may be sealed in order to permanently prevent air from re-entering the lung compartment.

A method of evaluating airway wall density and inflammation including: segmenting a bronchial tree to create an airway wall map; for each branch, taking a set of locations that form the wall of each branch from the map and sampling the value in a virtual non-contrast image of the bronchial tree and, given a set of samples of pre-contrast densities, computing a value to yield a bronchial wall density for each branch to yield density measures; for each branch, taking the set of locations that form the wall of each branch from the map and sampling the value in a contrast agent map of the bronchial tree and, given the set of samples of contrast agent intake, computing a value to yield a bronchial wall uptake for each branch to yield inflammation measures; and using the density and inflammation measures to determine treatment or predict outcome for a patient.

A method for determining the metabolic capacity of an enzyme includes time-resolved determination of the concentration of a product in exhaled air. The product is created by metabolism of a substrate, previously administered to an individual, by an enzyme of the individual. The product concentration is determined until the maximum product concentration in the exhaled air is reached. A model function is fitted to measured values of the product concentration, obtained by the time-resolved determination of the product concentration between start and end times. The metabolic capacity of the enzyme is determined based on parameters of the model function. Determining the metabolic capacity of the enzyme takes place based on at least two parameters of the model function, wherein the maximum value and time constant of the model function are not selected as parameters at the same time, and the start and/or end times are not selected as parameters.

The volume of a hyperinflated lung compartment is reduced by sealing a distal end of the catheter in an airway feeding the lung compartment. Air passes out of the lung compartment through a passage in the catheter while the patient exhales. A one-way flow element associated with the catheter prevents air from re-entering the lung compartment as the patient inhales. Over time, the pressure of regions surrounding the lung compartment cause it to collapse as the volume of air diminishes. Residual volume reduction effectively results in functional lung volume expansion. Optionally, the lung compartment may be sealed in order to permanently prevent air from re-entering the lung compartment.

Methods and systems with .sup.129Xe dynamic spectroscopy with a fitting function that includes one or more non-Lorentzians, optionally with a barrier Voigt, and signal processing for identifying cardiogenic oscillations for evaluating disease states, use in drug discovery or monitoring disease status.

The present invention relates to a device for determination of the hemoglobin amount of a patient comprising: a closed gas volume (100); a gas outlet comprising a mouth piece (47), wherein the mouth piece (47) is configured to enable inhalation and exhalation of gas into and out of the closed gas volume (100); a means for carbon monoxide supply into the closed gas volume (100); characterized in that the means for carbon monoxide supply comprises a carbon monoxide reservoir (15) which is provided with sensors for the determination of temperature (19) and pressure (17) of the carbon monoxide in the carbon monoxide reservoir (15).