Is there carbon 13 in routine physical examination

The vast majority of basic routine physical examinations that ordinary people often come into contact with do not include carbon-13 breath tests. The routine physical examinations we usually talk about mostly refer to the basic group examinations and standard physical examinations purchased by the unit. The core coverage is general screening items such as routine hematuria, liver and kidney function, basic ultrasound, and chest X-ray. Carbon 13, as a special test for Helicobacter pylori, is not in the list of basic must-checks. Last month, I accompanied the elderly at home to a community hospital to get a basic physical examination. I specifically asked the nurse that this item was indeed not included in the 398 yuan basic physical examination package for the elderly. If you want to add it, you have to pay an additional 120 yuan. Only the upgraded regular package for middle-aged people with a price of more than 800 yuan will include carbon 13 or Helicobacter pylori antibody testing.

However, there have been different opinions in the industry over the past two years as to whether carbon 13 should be included in routine physical examinations. Doctors who have been working in gastroenterology clinics all year round have seen many patients who were infected with Helicobacter pylori but ignored it and developed atrophic gastritis or even gastric cancer. They always say that the infection rate of Helicobacter pylori in China has exceeded half, and it is a clear first-level carcinogen of gastric cancer. It is cost-effective to spend more than 100 yuan on a screening to select high-risk people for early intervention. It should be included in routine physical examinations long ago, especially for people over 40 years old. It is best to have annual examinations. There are also public health experts who believe that universal coverage is not necessary. After all, about 70% of infected people have no symptoms at all and will not develop into serious diseases. Screening them all will easily make many low-risk people panic and even take drugs indiscriminately to eradicate them. In the end, it will lead to over-medical treatment. Those who need it can make their own choices.

If you often suffer from acid reflux, bloating, bad breath, or have a family history of gastric cancer or chronic gastritis at home, and you always like to eat hot pot and share tableware with friends, you can take the initiative to add carbon 13 during your next physical examination. You only need to blow two bags of air during the whole process. There is no need to draw blood or suffer the sin of gastroscopy. The results can be obtained in half an hour, and the accuracy is much higher than ordinary blood tests for antibodies. It can be regarded as a safe purchase for a small amount of money.