It is also called a gastric emptying study or gastric emptyingscintigraphy.
A gastric emptying study is a nuclear medicine test, meaning it uses small amounts of radiation.
It is usually done in the Nuclear Medicine department of a hospital as an inpatient or outpatient test.
Verywell / Gary Ferster
You will be instructed to stop eating and drinking for about four hours before the test.
It is important to follow these instructions to ensure accurate test results.
Medications
Some medications need to be stopped before a gastric emptying scan.
It is thought that infrequent low doses of radiation typically used for medical procedures pose minimal risk.
The risk-to-benefit ratio should also be considered when giving the test to children.
Before the test, you will have something to eat.
The meal must be the same to ensure the test results are accurate.
The scrambled egg whites contain a radioactive isotope called Technetium-99m Sulfur Colloid which is tasteless.
If possible, this meal should be eaten within 10 minutes.
Most children’s hospitals have staff who specialize in relieving a child’s anxiety and discomfort during medical tests.
Don’t hesitate to request these kinds of services when you arrive.
During the Test
After you finish eating, you will lie down on a table.
Then, images of your abdomen will be taken with a special camera.
The scan is not usually painful or uncomfortable.
This means that the whole gastric emptying test takes four and a half to five hours.
Sometimes a liquid meal is ordered instead of a solid meal.
How Long Does a Gastric Emptying Study Take?
Gastric Emptying Study Results
Certain factors can limit how accurate gastric emptying study results are.
How Long Does It Take to Get Results?
The amount of time it takes to get the results of a gastric emptying scan varies.
A specialist called aradiologistgenerally interprets the images and then writes a report that is given to your healthcare provider.
This will help them figure out what might be causing your symptoms.
The pictures show how long it takes for food to move out of the stomach.
Some conditions cause the stomach to empty too slowly and others cause it to empty too fast.
Providers can use a gastric emptying study to diagnose conditions like gastroparesis and dumping syndrome.
Having pictures taken with an X-ray during the test won’t hurt.
However, you might feel uncomfortable because of the meal you have to eat before the test.
Insurance coverage and your location factor into what you’ll pay.
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Farrell MB.Gastric emptying scintigraphy.J Nucl Med Technol.
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