Nuclear Medicine Scan of Gastric - Scan Gastroparesis Scan

What Is a Gastric Emptying (Gastroparesis) Scan?

This is a specialized nuclear medicine imaging test focused on evaluating the function of your stomach, the core organ of your upper gastrointestinal (GI) tract. Unlike imaging tests that take pictures of stomach structure, this test measures how well your stomach muscles move food through your digestive system. It uses a very small, safe amount of radioactive tracer that is mixed into a small, plain meal you will eat during the test; no contrast dye is used, and the test does not require you to enter an enclosed scanner, so there is no claustrophobia risk.

Clinical Uses for Gastrointestinal Evaluation

This test is used exclusively to evaluate gastrointestinal motility, the movement of food and waste through your digestive tract. It is the gold standard test for diagnosing gastroparesis, a condition where stomach muscles are weakened or damaged and cannot empty food into the small intestine at a normal rate, which is most common in people with long-term diabetes, people who have had stomach or intestinal surgery, and people with neurological conditions like Parkinson’s disease. It is also used to evaluate unexplained upper GI symptoms including persistent nausea, vomiting, bloating, and feeling full after eating only a small amount of food, to assess how well treatments for gastroparesis or other motility disorders are working, and to rule out mechanical blockages in the stomach or small intestine as a cause of symptoms.

What to Expect During the Test

No special preparation is required for this test, so you can eat and take your regular medications unless your provider gives you different instructions. You will be given a small, plain meal, usually something like scrambled eggs or toast, with a tiny amount of radioactive tracer mixed in, which you will eat in the imaging suite. You will then lie on a padded exam table while a special gamma camera positioned above your abdomen takes images of your stomach over approximately 10 minutes; the camera does not enclose your body, so you will not feel confined or experience claustrophobia.

Risks and Aftercare

The amount of radiation used in this test is very low, comparable to the amount of natural background radiation you would be exposed to over 2 to 3 days, and is considered safe for most adults. The radioactive tracer is non-allergenic and will pass out of your body naturally through urine and stool within 24 hours, so you can return to all your normal activities immediately after the test. Your provider will share your test results with you within 3 to 5 business days, and will discuss next steps, including treatment options if a motility disorder is diagnosed.