urea (14C)

Urea-14C is a radiopharmaceutical diagnostic agent used for the non-invasive detection of *Helicobacter pylori* (H. pylori) infection. Administered orally in capsule form, the drug contains urea labeled with the radioactive isotope carbon-14. If H. pylori is present in the gastric mucosa, its urease enzyme hydrolyzes the 14C-urea into ammonia and radioactive carbon dioxide (14CO2). The labeled carbon dioxide is then absorbed into the bloodstream and excreted via the lungs. The presence of 14CO2 in exhaled breath, measured using a liquid scintillation counter, confirms the infection. This procedure, known as the urea breath test (UBT), is a highly sensitive and specific method for diagnosing active H. pylori infection. Wuxi Beta Pharmaceutical Technology is currently evaluating a new capsule formulation in Phase 3 clinical trials in China, comparing it to established brands like PYtest.

Brand names

PYtest

Other names

Carbon-14 ureaCarbon14 ureaCarbon 14 urea