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Tests and diagnosis
By Mayo Clinic staffDoctors use several tests to help diagnose gastroparesis and rule out conditions that may cause similar symptoms. Tests may include:
- Measuring the time it takes for your stomach to empty. A gastric-emptying study measures how long it takes for food to move through your stomach. There are several ways to measure stomach emptying. In the most common test, you eat food that contains a small amount of radioactive material. A scanner that detects the movement of the radioactive material is placed over your abdomen to monitor the rate at which food leaves your stomach.
- Using a scope to see inside your stomach. An upper endoscopy may help rule out other conditions that can cause delayed gastric emptying. During an endoscopy, your doctor passes a thin tube equipped with a camera down your throat and into your stomach and small intestine. The camera transmits images your doctor uses to evaluate your digestive system for abnormalities.
References
- Gastroparesis. National Institute for Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. http://digestive.niddk.nih.gov/ddiseases/pubs/gastroparesis/index.aspx. Accessed Oct. 17, 2011.
- Fox J, et al. Gastroparesis. American College of Gastroenterology. http://www.acg.gi.org/patients/gihealth/gastroparesis.asp. Accessed Oct. 17, 2011.
- Tang DM, et al. Gastroparesis: Approach, diagnostic evaluation and management. Disease-a-Month. 2011:57:74.
- Nutrition therapy for gastroparesis. Nutrition Care Manual. American Dietetic Association. http://nutritioncaremanual.org/index.cfm. Accessed Oct. 25, 2011.
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