What a Pediatric Gastric Emptying Scan Is
A gastric emptying scan is a nuclear medicine exam in which the patient receives a radioactive substance orally followed by multiple scans of the stomach. Gastric emptying scans are used to check the amount of time it takes the stomach to empty after a meal.
Nuclear medicine exams are unique because they provide a way to evaluate the function of various internal organs and tissues, rather than just the anatomy. Nuclear medicine scans are very safe. The patient receives a tiny amount of radioactive material so radiation exposure is minimal. The radioactive material is targeted to the specific body tissue being studied which limits exposure to other areas of the body. The energy emitted from the radioactive material is detected by a camera and used to create images which are studied by a radiologist.
RIA radiologists interpret the results of pediatric gastric emptying scans at several Denver area hospitals.