SEMIEMPIRICAL MODEL FOR DIAGNOSTICATION HELICOBACTER PYLORI INFECTION BY USE OF 14C LABELLED UREA

Aleksandra Jung1, Marta Wasilewska-Radwańska1, Zbigniew Kopański2

1Department of Medical Physics, Faculty of Physics and Nuclear Techniques, University of Mining and Metallurgy, 30 Mickiewicza Av., 30-059 Krakow, Poland,
25th Military Clinical Hospital, 1-3 Wroclawska Str., 30-901 Krakow, Poland


The main aim of this study was to create a semiempirical model, helpful in estimating severity of the Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection by using the urea breath test (UBT), when urea labelled 14C has been used for diagnostics. The model consists of four compartments representing stomach (1), blood vascular system (2), lungs (3) and urinary system (4). Mathematical model is based on the balance of radioactive 14C in compartments from 1 to 4. The histological investigations were used as reference methods. Comparison of the results obtained from simulation, which yields dependence of 14C activity on time, to experimental results of UBT, made it possible to determine the ranges of coefficient hB value, which characterized each degrees of severity of H. pylori infection: degree 0 (lack of infection) – hB below 0.025; degree 1 (not large) – hB in range 0.025-0.115; degree 2 (moderate) – hB in range 0.115-0.300; degree 3 (significant) – hB above 0.300. It was possible to estimate severity of H. pylori infection in clinical practice on the basis of comparing the 14C activity value of experimental points as obtained from the breath test, to the results of simulation with suitable value of the fitted parameter hB indicating degree of severity of infection.