HBT Sleuth HBT Sleuth The HBT Sleuth hydrogen breath test is a precision instrument for detecting lactose intolerance, bacterial overgrowth, glucose intolerance, and fructose intolerance.  This monitor does hydrogen testing, which is among the gases produced in the intestinal lumen by the bacteriological breakdown of carbohydrates in the intestine.  After diffusion into the bloodstream, the H2 is expired in the exhaled breath through the alveoli.  This measure of H2 in exhaled breath is used to detect abnormal breakdown or malabsorption of carbohydrates in the intestine. Lactose Intolerance Breath Test The HBT Sleuth hydrogen monitor is used to perform a lactose intolerance breath test.  Lactose intolerance is the inability to digest lactose, the sugar found in milk.  It causes cramping, bloating, gas or diarrhea any time dairy products are consumed.  Lactose intolerance occurs due to the body’s lack of lactase, an enzyme normally produced by the small intestine. The lactose intolerance breath test is a quick way to discover if a patient has lactose intolerance.  Studies indicate that as many as 70% of patients that have lactose intolerance do not relate their symptoms to lactose ingestion. They may even mislead their physicians by denying a connection of their symptoms to their diet.  The HBT Sleuth lactose intolerance breath test is done in the doctor’s office and only requires five minutes of the patient’s time.  This hydrogen breath test is easy to use, non invasive and gives the physician immediate results of the lactose intolerance breath test.  Lactose intolerance is often recognized for the first time in older patients.  They may have endured gas and other symptoms for years without connecting the symptoms to their diet.

The CPT Code for Hydrogen Breath Testing is: 91065 Specifications Gas Measured Hydrogen  Range Measured 0-500 PPM Accuracy ± 5%  Humidity Range 15% to 90% Response Time 70 seconds Display LCD 3.5" by 0.5" Battery (9 volt) 100 hrs

Bacterial Overgrowth Breath Test

The HBT Sleuth hydrogen breath test is also used to give patients a bacterial overgrowth breath test.  Normally, the human small intestine contains only small amounts of bacteria.  Two major factors control the numbers and kinds of bacteria found within the small intestine:  gastric acid secretion and intestinal motility.  Alterations in gastric acid secretion and intestinal motility provide the setting for development of bacterial overgrowth. The consequences of bacterial overgrowth within the small intestine can be serious malabsorption that results in clinically important deficiencies of several nutrients. 

The elderly in particular appear to be at high risk for bacterial overgrowth because of decreased acid production and the development of small intestinal hernias with age.  It has been suggested that bacterial overgrowth is the most common cause of clinically significant malabsorption in the elderly.  These studies suggest that over one-third of the elderly have predisposing conditions for bacterial overgrowth and should have a bacterial overgrowth breath test with a hydrogen monitor.  The bacterial overgrowth breath test takes several hours to complete with the HBT Sleuth hydrogen monitor.  The physician evaluates five readings of the hydrogen monitor over a period of two hours to measure small-intestinal transit time.

Glucose Intolerance Breath Test

The HBT Sleuth hydrogen monitor is excellent way of testing for gestational diabetes or glucose intolerance of pregnancy.  Glucose intolerance testing should be given to most pregnant women around 28 weeks of gestation.  This hydrogen breath test is a very safe, non invasive way of checking for glucose intolerance.  Physicians should be concerned about the effects of a bolus of glucose to a baby who has not been used to receiving it in large quantities.  This glucose intolerance breath test takes one hour to perform.  The patient will drink a special sugar enhanced drink called Glucola and then be tested for glucose intolerance.  The readings for the glucose intolerance breath test should not be higher than 140 ppm (parts per million).  If the reading is higher than 140 ppm, the patient has glucose intolerance.  Hydrogen testing for the glucose intolerance breath test should be preformed on anyone who has a family history of diabetes. 

Fructose Intolerance Breath Test

Hydrogen testing for fructose intolerance is becoming an important test for the Gastroenterologist to diagnose distressing stomach symptoms.  The fructose intolerance breath test explains why eating too much fruit or drinking a non-diet soda can trigger an upset stomach, excessive gas, and bloating.  Fructose intolerance has become a recent problem when food manufacturers starting substituting fructose for sucrose in their foods because fructose is sweeter and less expensive than sucrose.  If the fructose intolerance breath test measured on the hydrogen monitor exceeds 20 ppm, the patient has fructose intolerance.  The fructose intolerance breath test is a good analysis for the physician to add to their diagnostic test reservoir.  This simple breath test with the HBT Sleuth hydrogen monitor can be completed in less than one hour and will help diagnose fructose intolerance in the physician’s patients.

The HBT Sleuth hydrogen monitor is a very useful medical diagnostic tool for hydrogen testing.  This versatile hydrogen breath test will allow the physician to perform the following:  lactose intolerance breath test, bacterial overgrowth breath test, glucose intolerance breath test and fructose intolerance breath test.  Through the intake of different solutions, the HBT Sleuth uses challenge testing to decipher the level of intolerance in the patient for all of these tests.    

The HBT Sleuth hydrogen breath test is waived by CLIA.  The CPT code for this test is 91065.  Reimbursement varies from state to state and ranges for $138.00 in WV to $237.00 per test in CA.