A RADIONUCLIDE STUDY OF REGIONAL GASTRIC-MOTILITY

The aims of this research were to study some methodological aspects of radionuclide methods for assessing regional gastric motility and to d etermine the parameters that can be extracted along with their normal values or patterns. During the lag phase, the antral contraction curve showed three different patterns. At the beginning, the antral activit y was too low to be analysed. Irregular variation of the count rate wa s then observed, followed by a more regular contraction. The applicati on of Fourier transformation to the well-defined cyclical count rate v ariations revealed two areas with high amplitude values but with phase opposition. No peristaltic wave could be identified. After the lag ph ase, the antral curve showed cyclical variations of count rates with a frequency of about three cycles per minute. Slightly displaced curves but with a much lower amplitude were observed at different parts of t he stomach. Several factors were found to influence the antral contrac tion curve, including the choice of region of interest and time since the last meal. Irregularities in the antral curve, both in terms of fr equency and of amplitude, were not unusual in healthy subjects. These should be taken into account when interpreting antral contraction curv es. The phase image showed a well-defined peristaltic contraction patt ern. Three 360 degrees cycles were usually observed throughout the sto mach, suggesting that the time necessary for a peristaltic wave to swe ep through from the upper part of the stomach to the antrum is about 1 min. Similar phase images were obtained in all subjects regardless of the amount of time since the meal containing the radioactive tracer, suggesting that gastric peristalsis can easily be assessed and interpr eted. The amplitude image showed high amplitude in the antral area and in the greater curvature of the stomach. In the lesser curvature, the amplitude was much lower. Unlike the phase image, however, there was marked variability in the regional amplitude distribution. The value o f the regional amplitude distribution for evaluating regional gastric motility is therefore limited.