All volatile metabolites detectable by the human nose are termed an odour profile. The association of altered odour profiles with disease states has long been documented in both eastern and western medicine, and recent advances in robotic sample introduction have increased interest in the volatilome as a source for biomarkers that can be used for non-invasive screening for disease. Volatile profiles can be collected via active or passive sampling and analysis is predominantly undertaken using gas chromatography–mass spectrometry, with a variety of direct or indirect sample introduction techniques.