As the symptoms of gastroparesis are common and may be due to different reasons, you should discuss your symptoms with your doctor. There are specific tests that will confirm the diagnosis of gastroparesis.
To rule out obstruction or other conditions, the doctor may do the following tests:
Upper endoscopy
A long, thin, tube called an endoscope is passed through the mouth down the oesophagus into the stomach. Through the endoscope, the doctor can look at the lining of the stomach to check for any abnormalities. This test will normally be done under general anaesthetic.
Barium study
A meal that contains barium is eaten, which allows the radiologist to watch the stomach as it digests the meal. After this meal, you’ll be asked not to eat for the next 12 hours. The amount of time it takes for the barium meal to be digested and leave the stomach gives the doctor an idea of how well the stomach is working. If there is any food in the stomach after the 12 hour fast this suggests gastroparesis.
To confirm the diagnosis of gastroparesis the doctor will do one of the following tests:
Gastric emptying scan using Scintigraphy
Food containing a radioisotope (a slightly radioactive substance that will show up on the scan) is eaten. The dose of radiation from the radioisotope is small and not dangerous. The scan measures the rate of gastric emptying at one, two, three and four hours. Gastroparesis is diagnosed if more than 10 per cent of the food remains in the stomach after four hours.
Gastric manometry
This test measures electrical and muscular activity in the stomach. A thin tube is passed down the throat into the stomach. The tube contains a wire that takes measurements of the stomach's electrical and muscular activity as it digests liquids and solid food. The measurements show how the stomach is working and whether there is any delay in digestion.
Reviewed: April 2011
Next review: October 2012