Nondispersive infrared spectroscopy, an alternative to isotope ratio mass spectrometry: Case of the C-13 urea breath test

diagnosis of Helicobacter pylori infection has given a boost for the develo pment of breath tests using C-13 labelled urea and dedicated instrumentatio ns. Benchtop isotope ratio mass spectrometers have been developed for such an application and thus, isotope ratio mass spectrometry came out into labo ratories of clinical chemistry, In this field, the major commercial applica tion of breath test is indisputably the C-13 breath test since infection by Helicobacter is the most widely spread infection over world. This potentia lly large market of non-invasive diagnosis contributes to the development o f other techniques for C-13 isotopic analysis from expired CO2. So non disp ersive infrared spectroscopy is now an alternative to isotope ratio mass sp ectrometry for breath analysis. This paper compares the specifications both techniques for the diagnosis of Helicobacter pylori infection using C-13 u rea test and discusses advantages and drawbacks of these technologies.