The radioactive substance allows the camera to follow the food through the digestive process. Then you will lie on a table while the camera takes pictures. Over the course of three to five hours, the camera will take four to six scans lasting about a minute each. Gastroparesis symptoms in children are similar to those seen in adults. The test for older children is identical to the test given to adults. If your child is a baby or infant, your doctor gives your child the radioactive food in milk or formula in an exam known as a milk study or liquid study.
The radioactive substance is just as safe for your child as it is for an adult. The test usually takes about three hours for children. If your child is given the liquid study instead, the camera takes continuous images for about an hour. Make sure that you find a way to keep them occupied or calm before and during the test so that the results can be delivered smoothly.
The following items may help keep your child relaxed:. You experience a small amount of radiation exposure from the material in the food you eat before your scan.
Anyone in these circumstances should tell her doctor before having a gastric emptying scan. If you have diabetes, bring your medications or insulin in case your doctor requests that you take them with the test.
Let the technician know if you are taking any medications. The following medications can all affect how quickly your stomach empties:. Health complications, such as diabetes or hypoglycemia, can affect the usefulness of the test.
This tracer shows up on pictures taken by an external camera. That allows your doctor to see food in your stomach and to watch as it leaves the stomach.
A gastric emptying scan is done to see if food moves through the stomach as it should and at the right speed. It can be used to see if a digestive problem like gastroparesis is causing the stomach to retain food. The test may take about 3 to 4 hours.
The scan doesn't cause any pain. It doesn't feel any different from eating a normal meal. Anytime you're exposed to radiation, there's a small chance of damage to cells or tissue.
That's the case even with the low-level radioactive tracer used for this test. But the chance of damage is very low compared with the benefits of the test. The camera doesn't produce any radiation. That means you aren't exposed to any more radiation while the scan is being done. Most of the tracer will leave your body through your urine or stool within a day. So be sure to flush the toilet right after you use it, and wash your hands well with soap and water.
The amount of radiation in the tracer is very small. This means it isn't a risk for people to be around you after the test. It is a nuclear medicine test, meaning it uses small amounts of radiation. For this reason, this test is usually done in the Nuclear Medicine department of your hospital on an inpatient or outpatient basis. A gastric emptying scan may be ordered to help your healthcare provider determine the cause of a number of symptoms involving the digestive tract.
Symptoms and reasons for giving the test include:. Before having a gastric emptying scan you should notify your healthcare provider of any food or medication allergies that you have. You will also be instructed to stop eating and drinking for a period of time about four hours prior to your test. It is important that you follow these instructions to ensure accurate test results. Certain medications should be stopped prior to a GES.
These include any medication that can affect the way your stomach processes food. While this list is not all-inclusive some medications that should be discontinued before this test are:. Additionally, if you have diabetes and use insulin you will be given specific instructions regarding your glucose levels and your insulin dose may need to be adjusted.
If you are a menstruating woman, having this test done during days one to 10 of your monthly cycle may provide more accurate results—hormonal changes affect the rate at which your stomach normally empties. If your healthcare provider has ordered other testing around the same time as your GES, you should know that you cannot have a barium test within 48 hours of a GES. If your child is having a GES you will want to simply explain what will happen to them beforehand to help alleviate anxiety.
It can also be helpful to take a comfort item such as a favorite toy or a blanket with you. Most children's hospitals have staff on-hand who specialize in relieving a child's anxiety and discomfort when it comes to medical services. Don't hesitate to request these kinds of services.
A gastric emptying scan is not usually painful or uncomfortable in any way, although some people including small children may experience the anxiety of being in a strange environment or interacting with medical personnel. Before a GES, your healthcare provider will have you eat. If your healthcare provider orders solid food for you before your scan, the standard meal consists of scrambled egg whites, toast with jam, and a small glass of water.
The meal has to be the same so that the test results are accurate. The scrambled egg whites contain a radioactive isotope called Technetiumm Sulfur Colloid which is tasteless.
If possible, this meal should be eaten within a time period of 10 minutes. After the meal has been eaten, you will lie down on a table and images of your abdomen will be taken with a special camera. The pictures are taken at various time intervals to see how much of the food has been eliminated from the stomach and how long it takes. The radiologist will watch the movements of the radioactive tracer on a monitor.
The tracer will show how food travels through your stomach. Additional images will be taken over the next few hours to see how long it takes for food to move out of your stomach and into your gastrointestinal tract. You will be allowed to get up and leave the exam room during this time period. Your provider will let you know when you need to return for imaging. It's usually at around 1, 2, and 4 hours after the first image was taken. During this test: You will swallow a drink that contains barium.
Barium is a substance that makes parts of your body show up more clearly on an x-ray. You will lie on an x-ray table. A special type of x-ray called a fluoroscopy will track the barium in real time as it moves through your esophagus, stomach, and small intestine.
You may be asked to change positions while more images are taken. Gastric emptying breath test. During this test: You will eat a meal or drink a liquid that contains a type of protein that your body absorbs.
The substance eventually passes into your breath. A provider will collect samples of your breath over a period of about four hours.
You may be able to leave the exam room during this time period but will need to sit quietly. You should not smoke or eat while you wait. The amount of the substance found in your breath samples can help show how fast the stomach has emptied. During this test: You will swallow a smart pill, which is a small electronic device. You will then proceed with your normal daily activities. As you go through your day, the smart pill will travel through your gastrointestinal system and collect data.
The data is sent to a receiver that you wear, usually around your waist. After a day or two, the smart pill will leave your body in a bowel movement. You may not feel it when it exits your body. So when you have bowel movement, wait 3 minutes before flushing This will ensure the receiver captures the data, even after the capsule leaves your body. After 4 or 5 days, you will return the receiver to the radiologist who will review the results.
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