MedicineNet.com

About Us | Privacy Policy | Site Map
February 10, 2012

Gastric Emptying Study Index

Featured: Gastric Emptying Study Main Article

A gastric emptying study is a procedure that is done by nuclear medicine physicians using radioactive chemicals that measures the speed with which food empties from the stomach and enters the small intestine. A gastric emptying study often is used when there is a possibility of an abnormal delay in food emptying from the stomach. Medically, this is called delayed gastric emptying. Delayed gastric emptying symptoms are abdominal discomfort after meals, nausea and vomiting. The two most common causes of delayed gastric emptying are gastric outlet obstruction and gastroparesis.

Patient Discussions - Viewers share their comments

Medications

Doctor's & Expert's Views

Procedures & Tests

Health Features

Tools & References

Glossary




MedicineNet Doctors

Suggested Reading on Gastric Emptying Study by Our Doctors

  • Related Diseases & Conditions

    • Abdominal Pain
      • Abdominal pain is pain in the belly and can be acute or chronic. Causes include inflammation, distention of an organ, and loss of the blood supply to an organ. Abdominal pain can reflect a major problem with one of the organs in the abdomen such as the appendix, gallbladder, large and small intestine, pancreas, liver, colon, duodenum, and spleen.
    • Intestinal Gas
      • Gas or "intestinal gas" means different things to different people. Everyone has gas and eliminates it by belching or farting (passing it through the rectum).
    • Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD)
      • GERD (gastroesophageal reflux disease) is a condition in which the acidified liquid contents of the stomach backs up into the esophagus. The symptoms of uncomplicated GERD are heartburn, regurgitation, and nausea. Effective treatment is available for most patients with GERD.
    • Diabetes (Type 1 and Type 2)
      • Diabetes mellitus is a chronic condition characterized by high levels of sugar (glucose) in the blood. The two types of diabetes are referred to as type 1 (insulin dependent) and type 2 (non-insulin dependent). Symptoms of diabetes include increased urine output, thirst, hunger, and fatigue. Treatment of diabetes depends on the type.
    • Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)
      • IBS (irritable bowel syndrome) is a common gastrointestinal disorder involving abnormal gut contractions (motility) characterized by abdominal pain, bloating, mucous in stools, and irregular bowel habits with alternating diarrhea and constipation, symptoms that tend to be chronic and to wax and wane over the years. Treatment options include medication and lifestyle changes such as diet, exercise, and stress management to control symptoms. Also called spastic colitis, mucus colitis, nervous colon syndrome.
    • Indigestion (Dyspepsia, Upset Stomach)
      • Dyspepsia (indigestion) is a functional disease in which the gastrointestinal organs, primarily the stomach and first part of the small intestine, function abnormally. It is a chronic disease in which the symptoms fluctuate infrequency and intensity. Symptoms of dyspepsia include upper abdominal pain, belching, nausea, vomiting, abdominal bloating, early satiety, and abdominal distention (swelling). These symptoms are most often provoked by eating.
    • Gastroparesis
      • Gastroparesis is a medical condition in which the muscle of the stomach is paralyzed by a disease of either the stomach muscle itself or the nerves controlling the muscle. As a consequence, food and secretions do not empty normally from the stomach. Gastroparesis symptoms are nausea and vomiting; abdominal bloating, and pain can result.
    • The Digestive System
      • Digestion is the complex process of turning food you eat into the energy you need to survive. The digestive process also involves creating waste to be eliminated, and is made of a series of muscles that coordinate the movement of food.
  • Medications

  • Procedures & Tests

  • Pictures, Images & Illustrations

  • Doctor's & Expert's Views

  • Health News

  • Health Features

GI Disorders

Get the latest treatment options.



Symptom Checker: Your Guide to Symptoms & Signs: Pinpoint Your Pain








Use Pill Finder Find it Now

Pill Identifier on RxList

  • quick,
    easy,
    pill identification

Find a Local Pharmacy

  • including
    24 hour
    pharmacies