GASTRIC EMPTYING STUDY

Gastric emptying studies are used for evaluating patients who are having symptoms that may be due to slow and, less commonly, rapid emptying of the stomach. The symptoms of slow emptying are primarily nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, and abdominal fullness after eating. The symptoms of rapid emptying are diarrhea, weakness, or light-headedness after eating.

For a gastric emptying study, a patient eats a meal in which the solid component of the meal (for example, scrambled eggs or oatmeal for vegetarians), the liquid component of the meal (for example, water), or both, are mixed with a small amount of radioactive material. A scanner (acting like a Geiger counter) is placed over the patient's stomach to monitor the amount of radioactivity in the stomach for several hours after the test meal is eaten. As the radioactively-labeled food empties from the stomach, the amount of radioactivity in the stomach decreases. The rate at which the radioactivity leaves the stomach reflects the rate at which food is emptying from the stomach

Medications that slow emptying of the stomach can give a falsely abnormal test result, while medications that speed up emptying of the stomach can give a falsely normal result. Therefore, medications that affect emptying of the stomach should be withheld for 72 hours before performing emptying studies.

Abnormally high blood glucose (sugar) levels also can slow emptying of the stomach. Therefore, it is important to control blood glucose levels to near normal levels before performing emptying studies in people with diabetes who are prone to develop high blood glucose levels.

There are no side effects from a gastric emptying study. The radioactive material is not absorbed into the body and is eliminated in the stool. Nevertheless, gastric emptying studies as well as any other studies that utilize radioactive materials should not be performed in pregnant women because the fetus is exposed to some radioactivity.

GASTRIC INTESTINAL METAPLASIA

Gastric intestinal metaplasia is a precancerous change of the lining of the stomach which is associated with an increased risk of dysplasia and cancer. Risk factors include Helicobacter pylori infection, genetic makeup, rheumatologic disorders, diet, and intestinal bacteria. European guidelines have been established in countries with high incidence for upper endoscopy. In the United States, no such guidelines have been developed.

GASTRIC EMPTYING STUDY

Gastric emptying studies are used for evaluating patients who are having symptoms that may be due to slow and, less commonly, rapid emptying of the stomach. The symptoms of slow emptying are primarily nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, and abdominal fullness after eating. The symptoms of rapid emptying are diarrhea, weakness, or light-headedness after eating.

For a gastric emptying study, a patient eats a meal in which the solid component of the meal (for example, scrambled eggs or oatmeal for vegetarians), the liquid component of the meal (for example, water), or both, are mixed with a small amount of radioactive material. A scanner (acting like a Geiger counter) is placed over the patient's stomach to monitor the amount of radioactivity in the stomach for several hours after the test meal is eaten. As the radioactively-labeled food empties from the stomach, the amount of radioactivity in the stomach decreases. The rate at which the radioactivity leaves the stomach reflects the rate at which food is emptying from the stomach

Medications that slow emptying of the stomach can give a falsely abnormal test result, while medications that speed up emptying of the stomach can give a falsely normal result. Therefore, medications that affect emptying of the stomach should be withheld for 72 hours before performing emptying studies.

Abnormally high blood glucose (sugar) levels also can slow emptying of the stomach. Therefore, it is important to control blood glucose levels to near normal levels before performing emptying studies in people with diabetes who are prone to develop high blood glucose levels.

There are no side effects from a gastric emptying study. The radioactive material is not absorbed into the body and is eliminated in the stool. Nevertheless, gastric emptying studies as well as any other studies that utilize radioactive materials should not be performed in pregnant women because the fetus is exposed to some radioactivity.

GASTRIC INTESTINAL METAPLASIA

Gastric intestinal metaplasia is a precancerous change of the lining of the stomach which is associated with an increased risk of dysplasia and cancer. Risk factors include Helicobacter pylori infection, genetic makeup, rheumatologic disorders, diet, and intestinal bacteria. European guidelines have been established in countries with high incidence for upper endoscopy. In the United States, no such guidelines have been developed.

GASTRIC EMPTYING STUDY

Gastric emptying studies are used for evaluating patients who are having symptoms that may be due to slow and, less commonly, rapid emptying of the stomach. The symptoms of slow emptying are primarily nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, and abdominal fullness after eating. The symptoms of rapid emptying are diarrhea, weakness, or light-headedness after eating.

For a gastric emptying study, a patient eats a meal in which the solid component of the meal (for example, scrambled eggs or oatmeal for vegetarians), the liquid component of the meal (for example, water), or both, are mixed with a small amount of radioactive material. A scanner (acting like a Geiger counter) is placed over the patient's stomach to monitor the amount of radioactivity in the stomach for several hours after the test meal is eaten. As the radioactively-labeled food empties from the stomach, the amount of radioactivity in the stomach decreases. The rate at which the radioactivity leaves the stomach reflects the rate at which food is emptying from the stomach

Medications that slow emptying of the stomach can give a falsely abnormal test result, while medications that speed up emptying of the stomach can give a falsely normal result. Therefore, medications that affect emptying of the stomach should be withheld for 72 hours before performing emptying studies.

Abnormally high blood glucose (sugar) levels also can slow emptying of the stomach. Therefore, it is important to control blood glucose levels to near normal levels before performing emptying studies in people with diabetes who are prone to develop high blood glucose levels.

There are no side effects from a gastric emptying study. The radioactive material is not absorbed into the body and is eliminated in the stool. Nevertheless, gastric emptying studies as well as any other studies that utilize radioactive materials should not be performed in pregnant women because the fetus is exposed to some radioactivity.

GASTRIC INTESTINAL METAPLASIA

Gastric intestinal metaplasia is a precancerous change of the lining of the stomach which is associated with an increased risk of dysplasia and cancer. Risk factors include Helicobacter pylori infection, genetic makeup, rheumatologic disorders, diet, and intestinal bacteria. European guidelines have been established in countries with high incidence for upper endoscopy. In the United States, no such guidelines have been developed.