title: Measuring gastric emptying of semisolids in children using the 13C-acetate breath test: a validation study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Radioscintigraphy is the gold standard for evaluation of gastric emptying in children, but requires exposure to ionising radiation. Therefore, the aim of the study was to validate the non-radioactive 13C-acetate breath test in children in comparison to radioscintigraphy as reference method.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty-nine children with dyspeptic or respiratory symptoms were tested for gastric emptying disorders simultaneously performing the 13C-acetate breath test and radioscintigraphy.
  
  
  METHODS
  A semisolid oatmeal was doubly labelled with 150 mg 13C-acetate and 50 MBq 99mTechnetium. Breath samples were collected every 5-10 min for 4 h. After mass spectrometrical 13C-analysis, curve fitting of the 13C-cumulative recovery to the modified power exponential function Y = m(1 - e(-kt) calculated the half emptying times of the breath test (t 1/2 (breath)). Scintigraphic image acquisition began immediately after the ingestion of the 99mTechnetium-labelled testmeal at a rate of one frame every 60 s for 1 h.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Six children showed delayed gastric emptying in scintigraphy (t 1/2(scinti) > 60 min). All these children had prolonged half emptying times t 1/2 (breath) in the 13C-acetate breath test. Using a cut-off t 1/2(breath) > 90 min, the 13C-acetate breath test had a sensitivity of 100% and a specificity of 85%. Scintigraphic and breath test half emptying times were linearly correlated (Y = 0.80x + 47.68, r = 0.76, P < 0.00001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The 13C-acetate breath test proves to be a reliable, non-radioactive alternative for measuring gastric emptying in children.
authors.affiliation: Medical Department II, Johann Wolfgang Goethe University of Frankfurt/Main, Theodor Stern Kai 7, 60590 Frankfurt/Main, Germany. braden@em.uni-frankfurt.de
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Braden
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Peterknecht
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Piepho
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Schneider
authors.forename: W F
authors.initials: WF
authors.lastname: Caspary
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Hamscho
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Ahrens
mesh_terms: D000085:Acetates; D000293:Adolescent; D001944:Breath Tests / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D005746:Gastric Emptying / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011877:Radionuclide Imaging / Q000379:methods; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity
chemical_list: D000085:Acetates