Spectrophotometer to Detect H pylori Infection

A new infrared spectrophotometer is designed to aid the detection of active Helicobactor pylori infection and to confirm eradication. The instrument has been cleared by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

Called POCone, the spectrophotometer measures the change of 13CO2 concentration in breath by infrared spectroscopic analysis and is intended to be used in conjunction with the BreathTek urea breath test, both available from Meretek Diagnostics, Inc. (Lafayette, CO, USA), a subsidiary of Otsuka Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. (Tokyo, Japan).

POCone warms up in about 10 minutes and produces results from analyzed breath test samples in about two minutes. Its small, table-top design requires limited office or lab space, and the 23-pound unit is easily portable. A software upgrade allows testers to input letters and numbers to complement patient identification information, and an internal timer alerts users to the optimal sample collection time during the 15-minute testing period.

"Meretek is committed to the continued research and development of technological platforms for effective, proactive H pylori management,” said Sara Davis, director of the marketing department at Meretek.




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