Gastric clearance of radiopaque markers in non-ulcer dyspepsia patients.
BACKGROUND
The use of radiopaque markers has been proposed as an easy, non-invasive method for measuring gastric emptying. In this study we intended to evaluate the effectiveness of this test in determining the gastric motor function in patients with non-ulcer dyspepsia.


METHODS
Simultaneous recording of scintigraphic solid gastric emptying and gastric clearance of radiopaque markers were conducted in 65 non-ulcer dyspepsia patients.


RESULTS
Forty-two patients (64.4%) showed abnormal gastric clearance of radiopaque markers, and 38 patients (58.5%) showed delayed solid gastric emptying. There was no correlation between delayed solid gastric emptying and abnormal gastric clearance of radiopaque markers (p > 0.05). Although the frequency of abnormal gastric clearance of radiopaque markers was higher than that of delayed solid gastric emptying (64.6% versus 58.5%), it was not statistically significant.


CONCLUSIONS
On the basis of the results of our study, gastric clearance of radiopaque markers may be used as an easy, non-invasive screening test for the purpose of detecting gastric motor dysfunction. However, this test is not superior to scintigraphic gastric emptying studies.
Chang
C S
CS
Dept. of Internal Medicine, Taichung Veterans General Hospital, Taiwan.
Chen
G H
GH
Kao
C H
CH
Wang
S J
SJ
Peng
S N
SN
Poon
S K
SK
Huang
C K
CK
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001466:Barium Sulfate; D003287:Contrast Media; D004415:Dyspepsia / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D005746:Gastric Emptying / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015609:Organotechnetium Compounds; D010833:Phytic Acid; D011859:Radiography
D003287:Contrast Media; D015609:Organotechnetium Compounds; C026177:technetium phytate; D001466:Barium Sulfate; D010833:Phytic Acid