VOLUME ESTIMATION OF THE GASTRIC ANTRUM AND THE GALLBLADDER IN PATIENTS WITH NONULCER DYSPEPSIA AND EROSIVE PREPYLORIC CHANGES, USING 3-DIMENSIONAL ULTRASONOGRAPHY

Background: Two-dimensional ultrasonography has shown a widened gastri c antrum in patients with non-ulcer dyspepsia (NUD) find erosive prepy loric changes (EPC). Methods: In this study, volumes of gastric antrum and gallbladder were estimated with three-dimensional (3D) ultrasonog raphy before and after ingestion of 500 mi meat soup in 17 NUD with EP C patients and in 18 healthy subjects. A mechanical ultrasound scanner , coupled to a stepping motor, tilted the transducer through an angle of 51 degrees or 88 degrees while recording a total of 95 or 81 images , respectively. Volume estimation was performed digitally after intera ctive manual contour tracing and organ reconstruction in three dimensi ons. Results: Antral volumes were larger in NUD patients than in healt hy controls (P = 0.001). Fasting gall bladder volumes were similar in the two groups. Postprandial antral filling was more pronounced in pa tien ts than in healthy subjects TP = 0.02), whereas gallbladder empty ing was more pronounced in healthy subjects than in patients (P = 0.05 ). The soup induced dyspeptic symptoms in 15 NUD patients, but only ha d this effect in two healthy subjects (P < 0.001). Conclusion: Patient s with NUD and EPC are characterized by abnormal antral filling, reduc ed gallbladder emptying, and dyspeptic symptoms in response to ingesti on of meat soup.