Breath Testing - Urea Breath Test

What to expect:

A Urea Breath Test has been requested by your doctor to assess the likelihood of the presence of Helicobacter Pylori in the stomach. This test involves the collection and analysis of exhaled air after swallowing of a capsule containing urea labelled with radioactive carbon-14. Urea is a harmless, naturally occurring substance and the radiation involved is similar to half a day’s normal exposure to environmental radiation.

Preparation:

• Fast (no food or liquids) for a minimum of six hours before the test.
• No smoking or eating during the test.
• The test can be performed at any time of the day, and will take approximately 10-15 minutes.
• At the conclusion of the test you will be asked to blow into a breath collection balloon which is sent to the laboratory for analysis.

Medication restrictions include:

• No antibiotics for four weeks prior to test
• No proton-pump inhibitors (eg Losec, Zoton, Somac) for one week prior to test
• No cytoprotectives (sucralfate) for two weeks prior to test
• For a full list of medication restrictions, please see our collection staff
• Your doctor must be notified prior to temporarily stopping any medications. Please do not discontinue any medication without the agreement of your doctor.

Children and pregnant/lactating women:

The small dose of radiation involved in this test is not thought to be harmful and is less than the dose in most X-rays. If you would prefer to avoid this radiation altogether, please ask your doctor about other tests that might be available.