The duration
The duration of the examination actually depends on the duration of the gastroscopy. If the examining doctor has looked at all areas, the tissue can be removed. The removal takes one to two minutes.
Then a piece of the tissue is placed on the special culture medium or test and the color change is waited for. This also takes only a few minutes. The examination is then completed.
When should I repeat the Urease Rapid Test?
Usually the quick test does not need to be repeated. If a Helicobacter pylori infection is diagnosed, therapy can be started. To assess the success of the therapy, other less invasive test methods are used. These include the breath and stool tests (see paragraph Alternatives).
The costs
The costs of gastroscopy and the urease rapid test are usually covered by the health insurance company, since it is a necessary examination. However, if you are unsure, you can obtain information from your health insurance company in advance or ask your attending doctor.
What are the alternatives?
The diagnosis of Helicobacter pylori can be divided into two procedures. The first procedure is invasive – i.e. by taking a tissue sample. Here, the urease rapid test or microscopic examination of the tissue can be performed.
The second procedure is non-invasive. On the one hand, the antigens (special surface structure) of the bacterium in the stool can be detected. Furthermore, the 13C-breath test can be performed.
For this test, the patient drinks a juice which contains urea in addition. This urea is marked with the 13C isotope. After half an hour the patient has to exhale into a bag, in which the concentration of the marked carbon monoxide is measured.
Another alternative is the determination of antibodies. For this purpose, blood is taken from the patient, which is tested for specific antibodies against Helicobacter pylori.
