Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 26, 2026

Gastrointestinal Motility Monitor (GIMM)
Published on: December 1, 2010
Gallbladder and gastric motility in patients with idiopathic slow-transit constipation
Alp Gunay1, A Kemal Gurbuz, Yavuz Narin
1Department of Gastroenterology, Gulhane Military Medical Academy, Haydarpasa Training Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey. alp_gunay@yahoo.com
Objective:
Idiopathic slow-transit constipation (STC) has been suggested to be a pangastrointestinal motility disorder. We investigated scintigraphically whether motility in the gallbladder and stomach was impaired in slow-transit constipation.
Methods:
Twenty-four patients with STC were studied. Colon transit time, gallbladder motility, and solid-phase gastric emptying were measured by scintigraphy.
Results:
Gallbladder dysmotility was observed in 8 of 18 (44.4%) patients. Mean gallbladder ejection fraction was 41.6 +/- 13.6% (range, 16.3-67.0%). Gastric emptying was delayed in 9 of 18 (50%) patients. Mean solid-phase gastric half-emptying time was 75 minutes. STC may be associated with impaired function of other gastrointestinal organs. Approximately half of patients with STC presented gallbladder or gastric dysmotility.
Conclusion:
STC may not be a pure colonic abnormality; it may be a component of a pangastrointestinal tract motility disorder involving several organs.
Related Concept Videos
Gastrointestinal Motility Disorders
Gastric Motility
Peristaltic Waves and Chyme Formation
Upon food entry, the stomach initiates...
Imaging Studies III: Gastrointestinal Motility Studies and Virtual Colonoscopy
Radionuclide Testing
Radionuclide testing is a sophisticated medical technique for assessing gastrointestinal motility. It focuses on gastric emptying and colonic transit time. Radioactive markers track the movement of food through the digestive system, providing insights into gastrointestinal disorders.
In gastric emptying studies, a meal's liquid and solid...
Drugs Affecting GI Tract Motility: Bulk-Forming and Stimulant Laxatives
Bulk-forming laxatives, such as psyllium, methylcellulose, and polycarbophil, absorb water in the intestine, increasing stool bulk and promoting bowel movement. This makes...
Drugs Affecting GI Tract Motility: Other Laxatives
Osmotic or saline laxatives, like magnesium hydroxide or milk of...
Drugs for Treatment of Constipation-Predominant IBS