13C METABOLIC PROBE
Non-invasive 13C breath tests for clinical diagnostics
These products are utilised in a new class of non-invasive diagnostic tests used in clinical medicine. They have been developed with the intention of simplifying traditional tests of metabolic functions that often required invasive procedures.
13C breath tests work by having the patient ingest a labeled substrate. As the compound is metabolized in the body, labeled 13CO2 is produced and exhaled in the breath, where it can be measured by isotope ratio mass spectrometry — without needles, radiation, or invasive sampling.
Gastric emptying
Liver function
Non-radioactive
Common applications
Urea-13C
The reference standard for detecting Helicobacter pylori infection, before and after eradication treatment, based on the bacterium's urease activity.
Octanoic acid (1-13C)
Used in labeled solid test meals to measure gastric emptying rate, offering a reliable, non-radiating alternative to scintigraphy.
Sodium acetate (1-13C)
Used in labeled liquid test meals to assess gastric emptying, complementing octanoic acid-based solid meal tests.
