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Gastric Emptying Study Center - Waterloo, IA

Waterloo 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 Waterloo *

Covenant Clinic Waterloo
Victor Lawrinenko
2710 Saint Francis Dr
STE 510
Waterloo, IA 50702
(319) 272-5000

Suresh K Reddy & Ravi Mallavarapu MDs
Ravi Mallavarapu
125 East Tower Park Drive
United Medical Park
Waterloo, IA 50701
(319) 833-5990

Suresh K Reddy & Ravi Mallavarapu MDs
Suresh K Reddy
125 East Tower Park Drive
United Medical Park
Waterloo, IA 50701
(319) 833-5990

Covenant Health Clinic Cedar Falls
Victor R Mujica
516 Division St
STE STE 110
Cedar Falls, IA 50613
(319) 268-3550

Internists PC
Nile Dusdieker
115 8th St NE
Cedar Rapids, IA 52401
(319) 363-3565

Gastroenterologists PC
Dean Abramson
931 8th Ave SE
Cedar Rapids, IA 52401
(319) 366-8695

Gastroenterologists PC
Sudhakar Misra
931 8th Ave SE
Cedar Rapids, IA 52401
(319) 366-8695

Gastroenterologists PC
Douglas J Purdy
931 8th Ave SE
Cedar Rapids, IA 52401
(319) 366-8695

Gastroenterologists PC
Leon Qiao
931 8th Ave SE
Cedar Rapids, IA 52401
(319) 366-8695

Gastroenterologists PC
Robert A Silber
931 8th Ave SE
Cedar Rapids, IA 52401
(319) 366-8695

Gastroenterologists PC
Gary Weinman
931 8th Ave SE
Cedar Rapids, IA 52401
(319) 366-8695

Mason City Clinic GI
Satish K Sondhi
250 S Crescent Dr
Mason City, IA 50401
(641) 494-5350

Mason City Clinic GI
Joseph D Thoreson
250 S Crescent Dr
Mason City, IA 50401
(641) 494-5350

Center for Digestive Diseases
Robert W Summers
200 Hawkins Dr
Iowa City, IA 52242
(319) 356-4901

Center for Digestive Diseases
Cyrus P Tamboli
200 Hawkins Dr
Iowa City, IA 52242
(319) 356-4901

Gastroenterology Associates of Iowa City PC
Roger Joe Ewing
540 E Jefferson St
STE 102
Iowa City, IA 52245
(319) 337-5997

Gastroenterology Associates of Iowa City PC
Brian O'Meara
540 E Jefferson St
STE 102
Iowa City, IA 52245
(319) 337-5997

Gastroenterology Associates of Iowa City PC
Thomas Shreves
540 E Jefferson St
STE 102
Iowa City, IA 52245
(319) 337-5997

Gastroenterology Associates of Iowa City PC
Joseph Truszkowski
540 E Jefferson St
STE 102
Iowa City, IA 52245
(319) 337-5997

McFarland Clinic Gastroenterology
Jon L Fleming
1215 Duff Ave
Gastroenterology
Ames, IA 50010
(515) 239-4450

McFarland Clinic Gastroenterology
Robert Graveline
1215 Duff Ave
Gastroenterology
Ames, IA 50010
(515) 239-4450

McFarland Clinic Gastroenterology
Bryan Graveline
1215 Duff Ave
Gastroenterology
Ames, IA 50010
(515) 239-4450

McFarland Clinic Gastroenterology
Ali J Husain
1215 Duff Ave
Gastroenterology
Ames, IA 50010
(515) 239-4450

McFarland Clinic Gastroenterology
Thomas D Johnson
1215 Duff Ave
Gastroenterology
Ames, IA 50010
(515) 239-4450

Waterloo, Iowa

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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 Waterloo

  • In case of Emergency, call 911

Nearby Waterloo Hospitals *

Covenant Medical Center
3421 W Ninth St
Waterloo, IA 50702
(319)272-8000

Allen Memorial Hospital
1825 Logan Ave
Waterloo, IA 50703
(319)235-3941

Sartori Memorial Hospital
515 College St
Cedar Falls, IA 50613
(319)268-3000

Waverly Health Center
312 Ninth St SW
Waverly, IA 50677
(319)352-4120

Mental Health Institute
2277 Iowa Ave
Independence, IA 50644
(319)334-2583

Grundy County Memorial Hospital
201 East J Ave
Grundy Center, IA 50638
(319)824-5421

Buchanan County Health Center
1600 1st St E
Independence, IA 50644
(319)334-6071

Mercy Hospital Oelwein
201 8th Ave SE
Oelwein, IA 50662
(319)283-6000

Community Memorial Hospital
909 W First St
Sumner, IA 50674
(563)578-3275

Virginia Gay Hospital
502 N Ninth Ave
Vinton, IA 52349
(319)472-6200

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