Gastroenterology test menu:
- Hemosure
- Methane Breath Test (or Hydrogen Breath Test)
- H. Pylori Test (Breath Test and Serum Analysis)
- Celiac Disease
- FibroTest
1) Hemosure
The Hemosure Test, a new immunological based fecal occult blood test (IFOB), only detects intact human haemoglobin (approximately 2000 times more sensitive than the traditional guaiac test) in the feces. The results are not affected by diet, medication or upper G.I. bleeding.
“The ACG [American College of Gastroenterology] supports the joint guideline recommendation that older guaiac-based fetal occult blood tests be abandoned as a method for CRC [Colorectal Cancer] screening…the ACG recommends the FIT [Fecal Immunological Assay] as the preferred cancer detection test.” (The American Journal of Gastroenterology, 2009)
| Turn-Around Time | Diet | Appointment | Supplies |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 business day | No special diet | Not required | Hemosure kit |
2) Methane Breath Test (or Hydrogen Breath Test)
Breath tests can be valuable in helping to evaluate functional bloating, diarrhea, constipation and suspected malabsorption. These tests are a simple and safe alternatives compared to more invasive procedures such as biopsies. Breath testing to aid in the diagnosis of small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO) may provide a framework for understanding irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) patients.
CDL offers the following methane breath tests:
- D-xylose
- Maltose
- Fructose
- Mannitol
- Glucose
- Sorbitol
- Lactose
- Sucrose
- Lactulose
- Xylitol
| Turn-Around Time | Diet | Appointment | Supplies |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 business days | 12 hour fast required. A special diet must be followed (see the collection procedures for details). |
Required. Each test requires a separate visit. |
Offered at CDL head office only |
3) H. Pylori Test (Breath Test and Serum Analysis)
A) H. Pylori Breath Test
The urea breath test is a rapid diagnostic procedure used to identify infections by Helicobacter Pylori, a spiral bacterium implicated in gastritis, gastric ulcer and peptic ulcer disease. Urea breath tests are recommended in leading society guidelines as a preferred non-invasive choice for detecting H. pylori before and after treatment.
| Turn-Around Time | Diet | Appointment | Supplies |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 business days | Do not eat, drink (including water) or smoke for at least 4 hours prior to the test. Certain medications should discontinued prior to testing (see collection procedures for details). Always consult your doctor before discontinuing any medication. | Not required | Special CDL kit |
B) H. Pylori Antibody (Serum)
A blood test checks to see whether the patient’s body has made antibodies to H. pylori bacteria. If the patient has antibodies to H. pylori in his blood, it means (s)he either is currently infected or has been infected in the past.
| Turn-Around Time | Diet | Appointment |
|---|---|---|
| 1 business day | No special diet | Not required |
4) Celiac Disease
This autoimmune disease was once thought to be reasonable rare, but it is now believed that roughly one in every 133 Canadian will suffer from it. Diagnostic of the disease can be achieved through blood tests and a biopsy. Some of the recommended blood tests include Anti-transglutaminase IgA, Immunoglobulin G and Immunoglobulin A, Anti-gliadin IgA and IgG, Anti-endomysial Antibody and Gluten Allergy and Intolerance.
| Test Name | Turn-Around Time | Appointment |
|---|---|---|
| Anti-transglutaminase IgA | 6 business days | Not required |
| Immunoglobulin G | 3 business days | Not required |
| Immunoglobulin A | 3 business days | Not required |
| Anti-gliadin IgA | 6 business days | Not required |
| Anti-gliadin IgG | 3 business days | Not required |
| Anti-endomysial antibody | 5 business days | Not required |
| Gluten allergy | 4 business days | Not required |
| Gluten intolerance | 4 business days | Not required |
* These tests can be ordered as customized profiles for your convenience.
5) FibroTest
FibroTest is a patented biomarker test that uses the results of six blood serum tests to generate a score that is correlated with the degree of liver damage in people with a variety of liver diseases. FibroTest has the same prognostic value as a liver biopsy. The six blood serum blood tests are: Alpha-2-macroglobulin, Haptoglobin, Apolipoprotein A1, Gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase (GGT), Total bilirubin, and Alanine transaminase (ALT).
FibroTest has been evaluated in relation to liver biopsy (the current gold standard in liver disease assessment) in a large number of patients with hepatitis C, hepatitis B, alcoholic liver disease, Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and in the general population. By 2008 it had been used in over 350,000 patients. FibroTest has been validated for the initial diagnosis of fibrosis, but also for the monitoring of patients. In 2006, the French National Authority for Health recommended the use of FibroTest as a first-line assessment tool for fibrosis with untreated chronic hepatitis C.
| Turn-Around Time | Diet | Appointment |
|---|---|---|
| 7-10 business days | No special diet | Not required |
