Diagnosis and treatment of gastric emptying disorders. Clinical usefulness of radionuclide measurements of gastric emptying

Journal Article · Sat Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1983 · Am. J. Surg.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/0002-9610(83)90181-2· OSTI ID:6191221

Pellegrini, C A; Broderick, W C; Van Dyke, D; Way, L W

We studied 53 patients with severe gastrointestinal symptoms thought to be due to a gastric motility disorder. Sixty-six percent had had a previous operation on the stomach, and 21 percent had insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus. Based on clinical, radiographic, and endoscopic findings, 48 patients were thought to have gastroparesis, 3 were thought to have dumping, and 2 had no diagnosis. Measurement of gastric emptying of solids showed that gastric emptying was normal in 12 patients, rapid in 15 patients, and slow in 26 patients. Further evaluation showed that half of the patients with normal gastric emptying, and one third of those with rapid gastric emptying had other diseases of the gastrointestinal tract that responded well to surgery. Of those patients with dumping, diet modification was effective in 40 percent, and half of those who did not respond to dietary manipulations did well after reoperation. Nineteen patients with delayed gastric emptying were treated with metoclopramide. Sixty percent of those without previous gastric surgery responded, whereas only 25 percent of those with previous gastric surgery had good results. The rate of gastric emptying improved following reoperation in 9 (90 percent) of 10 patients with delayed gastric emptying (4 who had not responded to metoclopramide). Gastric emptying was measured again in 15 patients after treatment. The changes after treatment paralleled the clinical response. These studies indicate that gastroparesis cannot be reliably diagnosed on the basis of clinical findings and standard tests. Gastric emptying studies are essential to diagnose and treat patients thought to have gastric motility disorders, and to evaluate the results of therapy.

• Research Organization: Surgical and Nuclear Medicine Services, Veterans Administration Medical Center, San Francisco, California
• OSTI ID: 6191221
• Journal Information: Am. J. Surg.; (United States), Vol. 145:1
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

62 RADIOLOGY AND NUCLEAR MEDICINE
DIGESTIVE SYSTEM DISEASES
DIAGNOSIS
GASTROINTESTINAL TRACT
DYNAMIC FUNCTION STUDIES
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DIAGNOSTIC USES
PATHOLOGY
PATIENTS
BETA DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
BETA-MINUS DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
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ISOMERIC TRANSITION ISOTOPES
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