Idiopathic gastroparesis in patients with unexplained nausea and vomiting

Nausea and vomiting are symptoms sometimes associated with motor dysfunction. We compared a group of young patients suffering from chronic nausea and/or vomiting and normal upper gastrointestinal x-ray series with a control group. The members of both groups underwent isotopic examinations of their stomachs. The aim of the study was to find a simple method of checking the stomach and proving a motor dysfunction in a group of patients with chronic, inexplicable nausea and vomiting. Patients and controls fasted for at least 6 hr were given 0.5 mCI of [99mTc] diethylene triaminopentaacetic acid orally in 150 cc milk with 50 g cornflakes. A time-activity curve was obtained and radioactivity over the stomach was recorded exponentially. The parameter of the T1/2 emptying time was used. In normal controls T1/2 emptying time ranged from 18 to 26 min. Twenty-five symptomatic patients were examined, three of whom achieved normal values, but 22 patients showed pathologic results ranging from 36 to 184 min. In patients with chronic nausea and/or vomiting an isotopic examination of the stomach may provide a simple and rapid diagnostic method of evaluation.