Patients with functional dyspepsia have discomfort centred in the upper abd
omen in the absence of oesophagitis, ulcer, cancer or other pathology which
could have explained the dyspepsia. It is generally accepted that neither
endoscopy, nor other imaging modalities give any positive findings supporti
ng the diagnosis. However, recent investigations have shown that both endos
copic and ultrasonographic imaging show changes: erosive prepyloric changes
(EPC) and accommodation abnormalities, respectively, in a high percentage
of the patients. The diagnostic sensitivity and specificity of the changes
are not yet known, but the fact that they are also seen in several other co
nditions characterised by dyspepsia, for instance in gallstone disease, may
simply indicate that they are linked to epigastric discomfort in general,
and not to a specific dyspeptic condition. Ultrasonographic imaging is a no
n-invasive, widely available, convenient, and reliable method for evaluatio
n of gastric emptying, gastric motility, transpyloric flow and accommodatio
n disturbances, which may play a crucial role in the pathogenesis of dyspep
sia.