Stable isotope breath tests for assessing gastric emptying: A comprehensive review

Abstract

A stable isotope ([¹³C]) breath test is a promising method for assessing gastric emptying, but it has not been pervasive yet in Japan. We think that there are some barriers to its popularization, including the uncertainty concerning its theoretical backgrounds, the ambiguity of analyzing and interpreting the data, and the lack of standard protocols for breath sampling. The aim of the present review is to break through these barriers. We hope this article could make the [¹³C]-gastric breath test more maneuverable for and more accessible to researchers and clinicians.