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Gastric Emptying Study Center - Meridian, ID

Meridian Gastroenterologist Doctors for Gastric Emptying Study

Type of Physician: Gastroenterologist

What is a Gastroenterologist?

A subspecialty certification by the Board of Internal Medicine; practitioners focus on the stomach, intestines, colon, liver, and gallbladder (digestive organs). The gastroenterologist treats conditions such as abdominal pain, ulcers, diarrhea, cancer, and jaundice and they consult with surgeons when abdominal operations are indicated.

Specialty: Gastroenterology

Common Name: GI Doctor

Gastroenterologist Doctors in Meridian *

St Luke's Gastroenterology
Mark Lloyd
2235 E Gala St
Meridian, ID 83642
(208) 887-3724

St Luke's Gastroenterology
John T Witte
2235 E Gala St
Meridian, ID 83642
(208) 887-3724

St Luke's Gastroenterology
Judith Woods
2235 E Gala St
Meridian, ID 83642
(208) 887-3724

Digestive Health Clinic
Nic R Cordum
6259 W Emerald St
Boise, ID 83704
(208) 489-1900

Digestive Health Clinic
Robb F Gibson
6259 W Emerald St
Boise, ID 83704
(208) 489-1900

Digestive Health Clinic
Samuel S Gibson
6259 W Emerald St
Boise, ID 83704
(208) 489-1900

Digestive Health Clinic
Christopher Goulet
6259 W Emerald St
Boise, ID 83704
(208) 489-1900

Digestive Health Clinic
Mark A Mallory
6259 W Emerald St
Boise, ID 83704
(208) 489-1900

Digestive Health Clinic
Stephen M Schutz
6259 W Emerald St
Boise, ID 83704
(208) 489-1900

Digestive Health Clinic
Ike D Tanabe
6259 W Emerald St
Boise, ID 83704
(208) 489-1900

Treasure Valley Gastroenterology Specialists
Raquel Croitoru
222 W Iowa Ave
STE STE A
Nampa, ID 83686
(208) 467-3432

Idaho Gastroenterology Associates
Ellen B Hunter
425 W Bannock St
Boise, ID 83702
(208) 343-6458

Idaho Gastroenterology Associates
Philip Jensen
425 W Bannock St
Boise, ID 83702
(208) 343-6458

Idaho Gastroenterology Associates
Richard Uhlmann
425 W Bannock St
Boise, ID 83702
(208) 343-6458

Idaho Gastroenterology Associates
Bonnie K Waite
425 W Bannock St
Boise, ID 83702
(208) 343-6458

Idaho Gastroenterology Associates
David Wood
425 W Bannock St
Boise, ID 83702
(208) 343-6458

Boise Veterans Affairs Medical Center
Paul H Baehr
500 W Fort St
Boise, ID 83702
(208) 422-1000

Meridian, Idaho

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Gastric Emptying Study

What is a gastric emptying study?

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. Gastric emptying studies are used for testing patients who are having symptoms that may be due to slow and, less commonly, rapid emptying of the stomach. The symptoms of slow emptying are primarily nausea, vomiting, and abdominal fullness after eating. The symptoms of rapid emptying are diarrhea, weakness or light-headedness after eating after eating.

How is a gastric emptying study done?

For a gastric emptying study, a patient eats a meal in which a solid component of the meal (for example, scrambled egg), a liquid component of the meal (for example, water), or both, are mixed with a small amount of radioactive material. A scanner (acting like a Geiger counter) is placed over the patient's stomach to monitor the amount of radioactivity in the stomach for several hours after the test meal is eaten. As the radioactively-labelled food empties from the stomach, the amount of radioactivity in the stomach decreases. The rate at which the radioactivity leaves the stomach reflects the rate at which food is emptying from the stomach

Some medications such as narcotic pain relievers and anticholinergic medications can cause delay emptying of the stomach, while other medications such as metoclopramide (Reglan) and erythromycin can cause rapid emptying of the stomach. Medications that slow emptying of the stomach can give a falsely abnormal test result, while medications that speed up emptying of the stomach can give a falsely normal result. Therefore, medications that affect emptying of the stomach should be withheld for 48-72 hours before performing emptying studies. Abnormally high blood glucose (sugar) levels also can slow emptying of the stomach. Ther...

Recommended Reading Related to Gastric Emptying Study

Intestinal Gas »

What causes belching?

The ability to belch is almost universal. Belching, also known as burping (medically referred to as eructation), is the act of expelling gas from the stomach out through the mouth. The usual cause of belching is a distended (inflated) stomach caused by swallowed air. The distention of the stomach causes abdominal discomfort, and the belching expels the air and relieves the discomfort. The common reasons for swallowing large amounts of air (aerophagia) are gulping food or drink too rapidly, anxiety, and carbonated beverages. People are often unaware that they are swallowing air. "Burping" infants during bottle or breastfeeding is important in order to expel air in the stomach that has been swallowed with the formula or milk.

Excessive air in the stomach is not the only cause of belching. For some people, belching becomes a habit and does not reflect the amount of air in their stomachs. For others, belching is a response to an...

Emergency Contact for Meridian

  • In case of Emergency, call 911

Nearby Meridian Hospitals *

St Luke's Meridian Medical Center
520 S Eagle Rd
Meridian, ID 83642
(208)706-5000

Treasure Valley Hospital
8800 W Emerald St
Boise, ID 83704
(208)373-5000

Sunhealth Behavioral Health System for Boise
8050 Northview St
Boise, ID 83704
(208)327-0504

Intermountain Hospital
303 N Allumbaugh St
Boise, ID 83704
(208)377-8400

Saint Alphonsus Regional Medical Center
1055 N Curtis Rd
Boise, ID 83706
(208)367-2121

Mercy Medical Center
1512 12th Ave Rd
Nampa, ID 83686
(208)467-1171

Boise VA Medical Center
500 W Fort St
Boise, ID 83702
(208)422-1000

Idaho Elks Rehabilitation Hospital
600 N Robbins Rd
Boise, ID 83702
(208)489-4444

St Luke's Regional Medical Center
190 E Bannock St
Boise, ID 83712
(208)381-2222

West Valley Medical Center
1717 Arlington Ave
Caldwell, ID 83605
(208)459-4641

Walter Knox Memorial Hospital
1202 E Locust St
Emmett, ID 83617
(208)365-3561

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