Commonwealth Diagnostics International

01/24/2026

Fifteen parts per million.

That’s how much ambient air dilution can lower a hydrogen reading—enough to turn a positive SIBO test into a false negative.

Without CO₂ correction, breath test results don’t truly measure intestinal gas production—they measure whatever made it through the mouth and upper airway.

The result?

Falsely low readings that underestimate bacterial overgrowth and lead to missed diagnoses.​

The Clinical Impact of Dilution

When samples are diluted by ambient air:

Hydrogen and methane concentrations appear lower than they actually are​
SIBO and IMO can look absent when overgrowth is present​
Patients receive “negative” results but symptoms persist​
Treatment is delayed or misdirected​

CO₂ correction adjusts raw measurements to reflect alveolar gas—the true intestinal production your decisions depend on. It’s not optional methodology; it’s diagnostic accuracy.​

CDI’s CO₂ Correction Process

Every CDI breath test includes:
CO₂ measurement on every sample to quantify dilution​
Algorithmic adjustment so reported H₂ and CH₄ levels reflect true alveolar gas​
Built‑in validity thresholds that automatically exclude excessively diluted samples​
Transparent reporting so corrected values and methodology are visible on every result​

This isn’t an add‑on—it’s standard practice for accurate SIBO and IMO diagnosis.​

No dilution adjustment → falsely low readings → missed diagnoses.

CO₂ correction → true gas levels → accurate detection.
👉 Want to see how CO₂ correction changes interpretation in real test results?

Email providerservices@commdx.com and request a sample report walkthrough—we’ll show the before‑and‑after correction values.

📘 Read more: https://commdx.com/understanding-sensitivity-and-specificity-in-hydrogen-and-methane-breath-testing-for-sibo-and-imo/

01/23/2026

Your return ratio is a clinical metric, not just an operational one.

Every unreturned breath test kit represents a patient waiting for answers and a diagnostic pathway that stops short. When kits aren't registered at the point of distribution or when patient contact information is incomplete, the result isn't just a logistical gap.

It’s a potential delay in diagnosis, a missed treatment window, and prolonged patient distress for conditions like SIBO, IMO, and carbohydrate malabsorption.​

What Top-Performing Practices Do Differently

Practices with return ratios consistently above 70% share a common workflow: they register kits at the time of distribution and provide complete patient contact details.​

For in‑office distribution:

When the kit is registered as it’s handed out—either by the patient using the QR code or by staff completing the requisition form—CDI’s patient outreach team is activated immediately. This initiates automated reminders, prep instructions, and live support that guide patients through testing accurately and on time.​

For direct‑to‑patient shipments:

Including the patient’s phone number and email address on the order form unlocks full patient engagement: delivery confirmation, prep education, and proactive follow‑up support.​

Without registration, patients may forget protocols, set the kit aside, or become overwhelmed with questions. With it, compliance improves significantly.​

How CDI Supports This Workflow

Patient outreach team (activated at registration) provides reminders, prep tips, and answers questions before kits go missing​

MyGI Gateway real‑time tracking shows kit status (ordered, shipped, registered, completed) so you can identify unreturned kits proactively​

Centralized, digital results access reduces “mystery charts” and administrative follow‑up​

Automated email/SMS reminders keep patients on track without adding staff time​

This closed‑loop system doesn’t add complexity to your workflow—it removes friction. And it ensures that every test ordered has the best chance of becoming actionable diagnostic data.​

Kit registration + complete contact info → higher return ratios → fewer missed diagnoses → better patient outcomes.

👉 Want to review your practice’s current return ratio and identify workflow improvements?

Contact Provider Relations atproviderservices@commdx.com and we’ll walk through your MyGI Gateway data together and share strategies from top‑performing practices.

01/20/2026

A breath test without CO₂ correction is like reading lab values without a reference range—you’re missing critical context.

When hydrogen and methane concentrations aren’t adjusted for CO₂, ambient air dilution can skew your results. That means falsely low readings that underestimate bacterial or methanogen overgrowth—leading to missed diagnoses, delayed treatment decisions, and patients who keep searching for answers.​

What CO₂ correction changes in practice

Without it, breath test results can appear normal even when SIBO or IMO is present. CO₂ correction adjusts raw gas measurements to reflect true alveolar concentrations—the actual intestinal gas production your clinical decisions depend on.​

How CDI builds accuracy into every sample

✔️CO₂ is measured alongside H₂ and CH₄ in every breath sample to detect and correct for dilution

✔️Correction factors are automatically applied so reported hydrogen and methane values reflect true alveolar gas concentrations

✔️Built‑in quality control flags and excludes samples with excessive dilution

✔️Transparent reporting shows corrected values so you can see the quality assurance behind each test

✔️Validated sample stability supports reliable results across real‑world shipping and storage conditions

This methodology is why CDI breath tests are ISO 13485‑certified, FDA‑registered, and CE‑marked—meeting some of the highest standards for clinical diagnostics.​

Accurate gas measurement → reliable diagnostic data → confident treatment decisions.

👉 See how CO₂ correction and validated methodology work together across CDI’s full breath testing portfolio—from SIBO and IMO to fructose, lactose, and sucrose malabsorption: commdx.com/diagnostic-solutions

📘 Read the full breakdown: https://commdx.com/the-significance-of-co2-correction-in-hydrogen-and-methane-breath-testing/

01/17/2026

Test validity begins with preparation compliance—not just lab protocols.

When patients don't follow pre‑test instructions for hydrogen and methane breath testing, the consequences extend beyond inconvenience: false positives from residual food substrates, false negatives from recent antibiotic use, and inconclusive results that require retesting and delay diagnosis.

The 24‑Hour Prep Protocol

• Proper preparation isn't complicated, but it is specific:

• 12‑hour fast immediately before the test (water only)

• Restricted diet the day before (low‑fermentation foods)

• No antibiotics for 4 weeks prior

• No laxatives for 1 week prior

• No smoking for 24 hours before testing

Each variable influences test accuracy. When preparation protocols are clear and reinforced, your diagnostic confidence increases—and retesting rates drop.

How CDI Supports Patient Compliance

CDI provides detailed preparation guides in multiple languages, instructional videos, email/phone support, and FAQs to address common patient questions before they become barriers to compliance. When patients understand why each step matters—not just what to do—adherence improves.

For practices integrating breath testing into functional GI protocols, patient education is as critical as test selection.

Clear prep → accurate results → better clinical decisions.

Questions about optimizing patient prep compliance in your practice?

Contact Provider Relations: providerservices@commdx.com

01/15/2026

Symptoms alone can't distinguish SIBO, IMO, and carbohydrate malabsorption—and the research proves it.​

A 2025 study in the American Journal of Gastroenterology analyzed 5,000+ patients and found that no symptom combination reliably predicted breath test outcomes.

Bloating, constipation, diarrhea, and abdominal pain appeared in both positive and negative test groups—meaning clinical presentation alone often leads to diagnostic ambiguity.​

The solution? Bring objective testing into the workup.

CDI's hydrogen and methane breath testing provides the clarity functional GI cases demand, with:

Non‑invasive, at‑home collection for patients

24‑hour turnaround on results

Real‑time status tracking in MyGI Gateway

Adult and pediatric SIBO, IMO, and carbohydrate malabsorption testing options

When symptoms overlap, objective breath testing is the differentiator.

01/12/2026

Your return ratio is a clinical metric, not just an operational one.

Breath test return rates above 70% are associated with:
More actionable diagnostic results
Higher provider confidence in testing
Faster continuity of care
Better reimbursement alignment

The #1 driver of high return ratios?
Kit registration at the point of distribution.

Why it works:
Triggers CDI’s automated patient reminders (email and SMS)
Powers real‑time kit status tracking in MyGI Gateway
Ensures complete, accurate patient contact information
Reduces administrative burden on your internal team

Top‑performing practices don’t just order tests—they design workflows that support patient compliance.

CDI’s Provider Relations team can review your current return ratios and help you establish kit registration protocols that fit your practice. Send us a DM if you’d like to walk through your metrics together.

01/11/2026

When IBS patients look the same on paper, how do you know who’s truly dealing with SIBO or IMO?

A new 2025 study in Gastroenterology Research and Practice (Swedish clinical researchers) reinforces what many GI teams have already experienced in practice: objective hydrogen and methane breath testing (HMBT) is a critical tool for accurate SIBO/IMO diagnosis.

Key takeaways from the study:

✔️A substantial share of IBS patients (nearly 4 in 10) met LHBT criteria for SIBO
✔️HMBT showed strong diagnostic performance (sensitivity and specificity in the high 70s–80s)
✔️Updated cutoffs (≥20 ppm within 80 minutes) and lactulose use improved detection in the distal small intestine

What this means for your practice:
✔️CDI’s HMBT program is built to reflect these evidence-based standards:
✔️Aligned with North American Consensus Guidelines and ACG standards
✔️1‑business‑day turnaround for results
✔️Objective data that supports faster diagnosis, more targeted therapy, and better patient outcomes

When symptoms overlap and clinical history is ambiguous, objective breath testing becomes the differentiator—not another “nice-to-have.”

👉 Learn how CDI’s clinically validated breath testing program supports IBS, SIBO, and IMO workups in real-world practice.

01/08/2026

Evidence‑based care doesn’t stop at ordering the right test.

It depends on getting a result back.

Unreturned or unregistered breath test kits don’t just create workflow headaches; they represent missed diagnoses, delayed care, and prolonged symptoms for patients with suspected SIBO, IMO, or carbohydrate malabsorption.

Providers are left without objective data. Charts remain incomplete. Practices absorb the hidden costs of unused kits, wasted shipping, and manual follow‑up.

Across CDI’s network, one factor shows up again and again in practices with higher return ratios: kit registration at the point of distribution.

Registration enables:
Automated email/SMS reminders
Direct patient education
Real‑time status tracking in MyGI Gateway

In other words, it turns a passive kit into an actively managed diagnostic process.

Top‑performing practices (70%+ return ratios) standardize kit registration, provide complete patient contact information, and let CDI’s support team handle outreach instead of relying on already‑stretched front‑desk staff.

The result: stronger diagnostic confidence, fewer “mystery” charts, and greater patient trust.

If every test reflects a patient seeking answers, then every test must come back.

👉 Explore how CDI helps practices improve return ratios and protect both clinical and operational value.

01/07/2026

New Year Resolution for 2026: Better Diagnostic Accuracy

As we enter a new year, GI practices across the country are setting ambitious goals—and one of the most impactful is improving diagnostic precision for functional GI disorders.

The challenge is real:
symptoms alone don’t reliably distinguish between SIBO, IMO, carbohydrate malabsorption, and other conditions.

This diagnostic ambiguity leads to:
🔴 Delayed treatment initiation
🔴 Trial‑and‑error therapeutic approaches
🔴 Patient frustration and care discontinuity
🔴 Suboptimal clinical outcomes

The Evidence-Based Solution: Objective Testing
CDI’s hydrogen and methane breath testing (HMBT) helps remove that ambiguity and gives your team clear, actionable data:

✔️All testing aligns with North American Consensus and ACG guidelines
✔️Tests are processed in a CLIA‑certified laboratory with 24‑hour turnaround
✔️Lactulose and glucose substrate options are available
✔️Pediatric and adult GI breath testing options support your full patient population

Why Now?

Insurance Coverage Expansion
CDI announced significant in‑network expansions in 2025—now fully in effect for your patients:
⦿ Regence: 2.4 million members
(Pacific Northwest & Intermountain regions)
⦿ Medica: 1.5 million members (12 Midwest states)
⦿Plus Medicare, Medicare Advantage, Tricare, VA coverage

The Bottom Line for Your Practice
Better diagnostic tools → faster clinical decisions → improved patient outcomes → greater operational efficiency.

Is objective breath testing integrated into your diagnostic protocol for IBS and functional GI complaints?

If not, 2026 is the year to add it.

Let’s talk about making diagnostic precision a reality for your patients.

12/26/2025

🎙️ Modern Gastro Podcast — Dr. Anthony Hobson on When It’s Time to Test

There’s a point where “try diet, try lifestyle” isn’t enough. As Dr. Anthony Hobson (Functional Gut Clinic) puts it, once quality of life is sliding—missed work, canceled plans, persistent bloating, urgency, fear of accidents—it’s time to move from guesswork to data.

Why escalate to breath testing?

📉 Real-world impact: Digestive issues are a top driver of workplace absenteeism.

🧪 Objective insight: At-home hydrogen & methane breath testing can help clarify SIBO, IMO, or carbohydrate malabsorption—so care plans stop stalling.

🏠 Simple + safe: Ingest a measured sugar substrate, collect timed breath samples, ship back—no clinic visit required.

🔎 Actionable either way:

Positive: Targeted therapy, dietetic strategy, and motility support become clearer.

Normal: Consider gut–brain hypersensitivity and pivot to evidence-based behavioral interventions (e.g., gut-directed hypnosis, CBT) and tailored nutrition.

What this means for providers

Replace “test–treat–repeat” with test–target–track.

Align with consensus protocols (sampling every 15–20 min over ~2.5–3 hrs) to reduce false negatives/positives.

Integrate results with dietetics and GI psychology for a comprehensive pathway.

CDI delivers Breath Testing Done Right: GC-based analysis, dual-gas (H₂/CH₄) quantification, CO₂ correction, consensus-aligned timing, and clear reporting—built for timely, evidence-based decisions.

🔗 Learn more or get started: commdx.com

12/25/2025

🎄 Happy Holidays from the CDI Team! 🎄

To our patients, providers, and partners—thank you for trusting Commonwealth Diagnostics International this year. Your commitment to evidence-based, patient-first GI care is why we do what we do.

In 2025, together we:

Expanded access to at-home hydrogen & methane breath testing

Streamlined prep and kit registration to boost compliance and accuracy

Delivered faster, guideline-aligned results that help inform clearer care plans

As we head into the new year, our promise remains the same:
Breath Testing Done Right—precision technology, clear protocols, and real human support.

Wishing you a season of health, rest, and renewed energy. We’re honored to be part of your care journey and your clinical workflow—and excited for what we’ll build together in 2026.

💙 With gratitude,
The CDI Team

🔗 Learn more: commdx.com

12/18/2025

Unreturned breath test kits don’t just disappear. They turn into delayed answers, extra follow-up, and more friction for your team (and your patients).

New in our Breath Testing Done Right series: “Every Test Matters: The Cost of Missed or Unreturned Breath Test Kits.” It’s a quick read with practical workflow fixes to help improve completion and protect clinical momentum

Read: https://commdx.com/every-test-matters-the-cost-of-missed-or-unreturned-breath-test-kits

Quick poll: What’s the #1 reason kits go unreturned in your world?
A) Patient forgot
B) Prep confusion
C) Return shipping friction
D) Hard to track status

Hydrogen and methane breath testing plays a critical role in diagnosing functional gastrointestinal disorders such as SIBO, IMO, and carbohydrate