A novel COPD diagnostic tool that uses artificial intelligence algorithms aims to unseat spirometry as the go-to tool for diagnosing COPD.
According to a press release, N-Tidal Diagnose, developed by U.K.-based TidalSense of Cambridge, uses AI to analyze patterns of carbon dioxide in relaxed breathing to indicate either a high or low likelihood of COPD in about five minutes.
Although the technology is currently only approved for use in the U.K., the company said a new round of funding will allow it to pursue approval in other countries, including the United States. The device has been in use in the U.K.’s National Health System (NHS) since 2025 and has shown above 90% precision compared to 71% precision with spirometry.
TidalSense CEO Ameera Patel, PhD, said the approach for managing COPD is finally beginning to change.
“The World Health Organization now recognizes COPD as a global health priority, and it’s about time,” she said. “Part of the problem is how we talk about it. COPD is widely seen as a smoker’s disease, but a quarter of cases come from air pollution and the biomass fuel millions still cook with every day. We’re still diagnosing in the 21st century with a test invented in the 1800s, and one that needs specialist equipment and training most of the world doesn’t have access to. Lower income and minority communities pay the price for that first. That’s the gap we want to close, and the NHS is the first place we’re doing it.”
N-Tidal Diagnose has received praise in the U.K. medical community from those who have used the device. Clair Greason, chief nursing officer at GP Primary Choice in North East Essex, said it has allowed for expanded use on a wider range of patients.
“Unlike traditional spirometry, N-Tidal Diagnose requires only relaxed, normal breathing rather than forced exhalation, making it suitable for a wider range of patients, including those who may previously have been unable to undertake spirometry due to contraindications or practical challenges,” she said.
Hannah Burk, MD, consultant respiratory physician at University Hospital in Southampton, said her hospital has been doing community outreach targeting those who may be at higher risk of lung disease, but who would otherwise remain undiagnosed.
“N-Tidal Diagnose has fit extremely well into this model,” she said. “The test is quick to perform, straightforward for patients and supports a high-throughput approach, allowing us to assess many more people during our community events than would be practical using spirometry alone.”
TidalSense’s latest round of funding includes investment from Cross-Border Impact Ventures of Toronto, Ontario, Canada, that will allow it to specifically target the use of N-Tidal Diagnose in Canada and the U.S.
