Tuberculosis skin test results available in just 18 hours

Until now patients wondering whether they have tuberculosis had to wait a full 72 hours before finding out the results of a skin test. A new optical read system developed by Leti under a Lyon-Biopôle project funded by the French government has reduced the waiting time to 18 hours—and waiting time could even be slashed to just six hours.
This system can be especially beneficial in developing countries, where poor infrastructure and limited public transportation make it difficult for patients to make a second trip to a testing clinic. The system is comprised of a fiber spectrometer probe and special software that analyzes certain characteristics of the injection area (like light absorption and diffusion, and water and melanin concentration) to determine whether the person is infected. The method has already undergone a successful first clinical trial at the Hospices Civils de Lyon.

Contact: anne.koenig@cea.fr

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