Could the [14C]urea breath test be proposed as a 'gold standard' for detection of Helicobacter pylori infection ?

Background: The urea breath test (UBT) with a microdose of [14C] is a non-invasive and simple method for the assessment of gastric infection by Helicobacter pylori. The aim of this study was to compare the [14C]UBT with invasive methods widely used for assessment of H. pylori gastric infection, including histology with hematoxylin-eosin staining, the gastric smear technique using Giemsa staining, and the biopsy urease test.

[Clinical application of positron emission tomography (PET)].

Functional imaging using PET (positron emission tomography) has a great impact on current medical practice. It allows to explore, in a very precise way, different processes such as tissue flow and metabolism. Fluor-deoxyglucose labeled with F18 fluorine represents glucose metabolism.