Influence of food and marker length on gastric emptying of indigestible radiopaque markers in healthy humans.
A simple, noninvasive radiographic method was used to investigate the influence of food and of marker length on gastric emptying of indigestible solids. Ten healthy human subjects who had fasted for 12 h exhibited more rapid emptying when solid radiopaque markers were ingested with water than they did when markers were ingested with a 400-kcal solid and liquid meal. Mean (+/- SE) emptying of markers that were 10 mm in length averaged 55% +/- 15%, 97% +/- 3%, and 100% 1, 2, and 4 h after ingestion of the markers with water, compared with 4% +/- 2%, 32% +/- 11%, and 64% +/- 12% emptying 1, 2, and 4 h after ingestion of markers with the meal (p less than 0.05). Ingestion of a second and third test meal significantly prolonged gastric emptying of indigestible markers (p less than 0.05). No significant difference in emptying of the 10- and 2-mm markers from the stomach was detected. These experiments indicate that gastric emptying of indigestible solids in humans is strongly influenced by food intake, but not by the particle lengths studied.
D000328:Adult; D001466:Barium Sulfate; D004064:Digestive System / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D004435:Eating; D005260:Female; D005746:Gastric Emptying; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008722:Methods; D008875:Middle Aged; D011859:Radiography; D013997:Time Factors
D001466:Barium Sulfate