Understanding Your Laboratory Test: What Patients Should Know
The Bentiromide test measures how well your pancreas digests food by checking a substance in your urine after taking a special pill.
{"Evaluates pancreatic exocrine function","Assists in diagnosing pancreatic insufficiency","Involves oral medication and urine collection","Results help doctors diagnose digestive disorders","Sample type: urine (not serum - testing measures excretion)"}
Key facts at a glance
- LOINC
- 47201-9
- Short code
- BENTD
- Synonyms
- Bentiromide Dose
- Category
- chemistry
- Sample
- serum
- Container
- Red-top serum separator tube (SST) or plain red-top tube
- Units
- N/A
- Fasting
- false
- Population
- adult
- Sex
- all
- Age range
- ≥ 18 years
- Method
- High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) with mass spectrometry detection
- CPT
- 83015
- SNOMED
- 104387008
- Specimen volume
- 3-5 mL of serum
- Stability
- Serum stable for 24 hours at room temperature, 7 days at 2-8°C, and 30 days at -20°C or below
- Hemolysis max
- 100
- Lipemia max
- 50
- Icterus max
- 20
- TAT
- 24–72 hours
- Order
- routine
This test is a laboratory procedure that helps your healthcare provider check how your body is working, screen for possible medical conditions, or monitor an ongoing treatment plan by analyzing a small sample in a certified lab.
The Bentiromide test, also known as the pancreatic function test or bentiromide absorption test, evaluates how well your pancreas is working to digest food. Bentiromide is a synthetic peptide that requires pancreatic enzymes (specifically chymotrypsin) to break down. After you take a bentiromide pill by mouth, your body breaks it down, and the resulting product (PABA) is excreted in your urine. By measuring the amount of PABA in your urine, doctors can determine if your pancreas is producing enough digestive enzymes.
The test is usually performed by a trained healthcare professional who collects a small sample, such as blood, urine, or a swab, following standard sterile techniques, and then sends the sample to the laboratory, where specialized equipment and trained staff complete the analysis.
You will swallow a bentiromide capsule with water. Over the next 6-8 hours, you will collect all your urine in a special container provided by your healthcare provider. The urine sample is then sent to a laboratory to measure the amount of PABA (para-aminobenzoic acid) excreted. Your doctor may also draw blood to measure PABA levels in serum, which helps calculate the percentage of bentiromide that was absorbed and broken down.
To prepare for the test, follow your provider's specific instructions carefully, which may include fasting for a set number of hours, avoiding certain foods, medications, or supplements beforehand, drinking plenty of water, and letting the staff know about any medicines you currently take.
Follow these instructions: 1) Do not eat or drink anything except water for 8 hours before the test, 2) Do not take pancreatic enzyme supplements for 3 days before the test, 3) Do not take antibiotics or sulfa drugs for 2 weeks before the test as they may affect results, 4) Avoid certain fruits and vegetables that contain PABA (such as bananas, tomatoes) for 2 days before the test, 5) Your doctor may ask you to collect urine for 24 hours or just 6 hours after taking the medication.
Reference range
Excretion of >50% of administered bentiromide dose (measured as para-aminobenzoic acid, PABA) in urine within 6 hours is considered normal, indicating normal exocrine pancreatic function.N/A
Patient should be fasting for at least 8 hours prior to and during the test period. A standard test meal containing bentiromide (500 mg) is administered after baseline blood draw. Avoid sulfa-containing medications and sunscreens containing PABA for at least 72 hours prior to testing. Discontinue pancreatic enzyme supplements 5 days before testing.
Clinical interpretation
How abnormal results are interpreted and what conditions they suggest.
The Bentiromide test is primarily used to diagnose pancreatic exocrine insufficiency, a condition where the pancreas cannot produce enough digestive enzymes. This can occur in chronic pancreatitis, pancreatic cancer, cystic fibrosis, or after pancreatic surgery. Low levels of PABA in urine suggest poor pancreatic function, meaning food may not be digested properly, leading to symptoms like weight loss, diarrhea, and nutritional deficiencies. Normal results indicate adequate pancreatic enzyme production.
Results interpretation: Typically, if more than 60% of the bentiromide dose is recovered as PABA in the urine within 6 hours, pancreatic function is considered normal. Results between 50-60% are considered borderline, and results below 50% suggest pancreatic insufficiency. Your doctor will interpret your results in context with your symptoms and other tests.
Frequently asked questions
Is the Bentiromide test painful?
How long does the test take?
Are there any side effects?
Can I take my regular medications during the test?
What happens if my results are abnormal?
Sources
- 1
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This information is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.
This content is for general informational and educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the guidance of a qualified healthcare provider with any questions you have about a medical condition, and never disregard professional medical advice or delay seeking it because of something you read here.
If you think you may have a medical emergency, call your local emergency number or go to the nearest emergency department immediately.
Medically reviewed by WellAlly Editorial Team Last reviewed August 15, 2026. · Read our editorial policy