TEHRAN – Iranian researchers and scientists at the Institute of Cancer and the University of Tehran managed to develop a system for the real-time diagnosis of COVID-19.

They designed a simple electrochemical sensor to selectively detect the intensity of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in the sputum sample (with a volume of less than 500 µl), IRNA reported. 

Comparing the results of the sensor with clinical diagnostics of more than 140 normal and involved cases resulted in a response calibration with accuracy and sensitivity both 97%. 

Testing the sensor in more than 4 hospitals shed promising lights in ROS based real-time tracking of COVID-19 from the sputum sample. More than 97% of true positive patients were detected while the sensor declares the diagnosis in less than 30 seconds.

In this system, a calibration was performed related to the COVID-19 by testing about 170 normal, suspicious, and virus-infected cases. It showed great promising results in the real-time screening of the people during this pandemic.

Also, special software was designed based on experimental calibration to analyze the data and diagnose whether the responses are related to the positive or negative detection of COVID-19.

This ability of the device provides a free and flexible method for the phlebotomist or physicians to utilize the device in the laboratories or clinics.

It can be used as a power full assistant in the fast screening of the patients who need further medical examination during this pandemic and may be used in the future to reduce the number of cases that must be undergone CT-Scan for COVID-19 diagnosis.

MG