Diagnostic Testing

Nausea and vomiting are symptoms of several other digestive disorders. After taking a complete medical history and performing a physical examination, your doctor will ask for some additional tests in order to determine a diagnosis.

Patients who suspect that may have gastroparesis can expect to undergo diagnostic testing including:

• Upper Gastrointestinal Endoscopy
  This test excludes other conditions (e.g., ulcers, physical abnormalities, or mechanical obstruction) that may be causing symptoms. A thin, flexible tube (endoscope) with a tiny camera at the tip is passed through the mouth and guided into the stomach while you are asleep. The endoscope allows the doctor to look into the stomach and at its lining.
• Gastric Emptying Test
  (GET) This procedure measures the speed at which food empties from the stomach into the small intestine. The GET, considered the most accurate way to diagnose gastroparesis, requires that you eat a meal in which a solid food (usually eggs or oatmeal) contains a small and safe amount of a substance that will appear on a medical scan. A scanner is placed over the abdomen to monitor the food’s movement through the digestive tract.

Schedule a consultation.

Call 606.780.5500 to request a consultation with St. Claire HealthCare's Gastric Motility Clinic to see if Enterra Therapy for gastroparesis is right for you. No referral needed.