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Gastric Emptying Study Center - Pocatello, ID

Pocatello 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 Pocatello *

Southeast Idaho Gastroenterology
Darryl B Cook
1151 Hospital Way
Pocatello, ID 83201
(208) 232-6616

Southeast Idaho Gastroenterology
Thomas V Davis
1151 Hospital Way
Pocatello, ID 83201
(208) 232-6616

Southeast Idaho Gastroenterology
Charles Evans
1151 Hospital Way
Pocatello, ID 83201
(208) 232-6616

Pocatello, 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...

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Emergency Contact for Pocatello

  • In case of Emergency, call 911

Nearby Pocatello Hospitals *

Portneuf Medical Center West Campus
651 Memorial Dr
Pocatello, ID 83201
(208)239-1000

Portneuf Medical Center East Campus
777 Hospital Way
Pocatello, ID 83201
(208)239-1000

Beacon Hospital & Rehabilitation
1200 Hospital Way
Pocatello, ID 83201
(208)232-2570

Harms Memorial Hospital
510 Roosevelt St
American Falls, ID 83211
(208)226-3200

State Hospital South
700 E Alice St
Blackfoot, ID 83221
(208)785-1200

Bingham Memorial Hospital
98 Poplar St
Blackfoot, ID 83221
(208)785-4100

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