Diagnosis of Helicobacter pylori infection: non-invasive diagnostic tests

The non-invasive urea breath test can demonstrate the presence of Helicobac ter pylori infection with the same accuracy as invasive methods (histology, rapid urease test, culture), but with less distress and inconvenience to t he patient. It is evident that this test can and should substitute invasive methods in patients with uncomplicated duodenal ulcer, in those with non-u lcer dyspepsia and in all who have gastrointestinal disorders that do not r equire endoscopic examination. The urea breath test has a primary role for determining the success of eradication therapy. It is ideal for short- and long-term follow-up, particularly in the case of duodenal ulcer, which is s trictly related to the presence of Helicobacter pylori. In serious disease, when endoscopic examination is mandatory, such as complicated ulcer or muc ose associated lymphoid tissue lymphoma, the urea breath test can still imp rove the diagnostic accuracy of Helicobacter pylori infection as it does no t imply sampling error, to which biopsy is subject.