Update on gastrointestinal radiopharmaceuticals and dosimetry estimates

Abstract

The gold standard technique for measuring gastric emptying is scintigraphy using radiolabeled test meals. Recently, a standardized radiolabeled solid meal has been proposed and adopted by many centers. There is still a need for alternative meals, and several such meals with demonstrated radiolabel stability have been evaluated in small numbers of subjects. Updated radiation dosimetry associated with these meals has been calculated for adult males and adult females with normal gastrointestinal transit as well as transit abnormalities.

Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Figures

Figure 1

Comparison of a nutrient liquid meal (Ensure Plus) and current consensus egg-white sandwhich meal. The mean ± sem values for percentage retention over time for the egg meal are shown (filled squares, solid line) vs the Ensure meal (dashed line). The data are for 20 subjects each studied twice, once with each meal. The liquid meal has slightly faster early gastric emptying due to lack of any need for trituration which occurs with solids, but has similar retention at 2 hours. There is slightly increased retention between 2–4 hours likely due to its higher fat and caloric content.