Nationwide standardisation and evaluation of scintigraphic gastric emptying: reference values and comparisons between subgroups in a multicentre trial

By means of a standardised procedure, reference values for scintigraphic ga stric emptying were established. The influence of gender, age, menstrual cy de, body mass index (BMI) and smoking habits was also evaluated. Eight cen tres recruited 20 healthy subjects each. The meal consisted of a technetium -99m labelled omelet (1300 kJ) and of 150 ml unlabelled soft drink. Geometr ic means of frontal and dorsal acquisitions were utilised in a linear fit m odel for determination of the linear emptying rate, and by using the interc epts of the regression line with the 90% and 50% levels, the lag phase and half-emptying time, respectively, were defined. All individuals showed an i nitial lag phase and subsequent linear emptying. Because of a longer lag ph ase and a slower linear emptying rate, premenopausal women had a slower gas tric emptying than postmenopausal women and men of all ages. The gastric em ptying rate increased with age in the women, mainly due to a shortened lag phase, while the emptying rate remained almost unchanged with age in the ma les. There were no significant differences in results between the centres, The menstrual cycle, BMI and smoking habits did not affect emptying. In con clusion, the fact that the results showed a slower gastric emptying rate in younger women compared with older women and men indicates that it is neces sary to use separate reference values for fertile females.