Urea Breath Test - Definition and Overview

The urea breath test is a rapid diagnostic procedure used to identify infections by Helicobacter pylori, a spiral bacterium implicated in gastritis, gastric ulcer, and peptic ulcer disease.

Principles and mechanism

Patients swallow urea labeled with an uncommon isotope, either radioactive carbon-14 or non-radioactive carbon-13. In the subsequent 10-30 minutes, the detection of isotope-labeled carbon dioxide in the breath indicates that the urea was split; this indicates that urease (the enzyme that H. pylori uses to metabolize urea) is present in the stomach, and hence that H. pylori bacteria are present.

See also

• Rapid urease test (done on biopsy specimens after upper endoscopy)