Abstract
Although not as well standardized as gastric emptying (GE) scintigraphy, esophageal transit scintigraphy, if performed in a comprehensive manner including both quantitative and qualitative analysis of single- and multiple-swallow studies, is clinically useful when expertise in esophageal manometry is not available or not tolerated and when esophageal manometry or barium videofluoroscopy results are equivocal or nondiagnostic. GE scintigraphy has undergone much-needed standardization. Both solid and liquid GE studies play an important role in assessing patients with upper gastrointestinal symptoms. Because measurement of simple total GE is often not sufficient to explain patient symptoms, there is a need to expand the analysis of GE scintigraphy to include the separate roles of the fundus and antrum and to include the complex interactions the stomach has with other organ systems.
Footnotes
Published online May 29, 2015.
Learning Objectives: On successful completion of this activity, participants should be able to describe (1) the pathophysiology of the primary esophageal motor disorders and abnormal gastric motility; (2) the proper methodology for performing esophageal transit and gastric emptying scintigraphy; and (3) the proper image interpretative criteria to make clinical diagnoses from esophageal transit and gastric emptying studies.
Financial Disclosure: The author of this article has indicated no relevant relationships that could be perceived as a real or apparent conflict of interest.
CME Credit: SNMMI is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) to sponsor continuing education for physicians. SNMMI designates each JNM continuing education article for a maximum of 2.0 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits. Physicians should claim only credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity. For CE credit, SAM, and other credit types, participants can access this activity through the SNMMI website (http://www.snmmilearningcenter.org) through August 2018.
- © 2015 by the Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging, Inc.