Gastric emptying by ultrasonography

ABSTRACT

Ultrasound examination for the stomach is a non-aggressive and easy technique validated versus scintigraphy. It has been used to assess gastric motility and emptying. The adoption of the [Fluid filled stomach technique] helped a lot to overcome certain difficulties which prevent good gastric imaging namely the presence of air inside the stomach which attenuates the transmission of the U.S. waves. We studied simultaneously the rate of gastric emptying in 10 healthy controls and in 10 patients with non-ulcer dyspepsia [Chronic Upper Gastrointestinal Symptoms Without Organic lesion] after ingestion of 500 cc. freshly tap water, and 500 cc of liquid mixed meal. We found with the liquid mixed meal, that patient with non-ulcer dyspepsia had a significant delay in gastric emptying