Gastroparesis Echocardiography and Ultrasound

Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]; Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief: Sadaf Sharfaei M.D.[2]; Madhu Sigdel M.B.B.S.[3]

Overview[edit | edit source]

Both 2D and 3D transabdominal ultrasound is helpful in the diagnosis of gastroparesis. Findings on ultrasound suggestive of gastroparesis include prolonged distal and proximal gastric emptying, larger antral area, lower gastric emptying rate, fewer antral contractions.

Ultrasound[edit | edit source]

• There are no abnormal echocardiography findings associated with gastroparesis.
• Transabdominal ultrasound may be helpful in the diagnosis of gastroparesis. Findings on an transabdominal ultrasound suggestive of gastroparesis include:^[1][2]
  • Prolonged distal and proximal gastric emptying
  • Larger antral area
  • Lower gastric emptying rate
  • Fewer antral contractions
• The advantages of ultrasound include:
  • Assessment of postprandial gastric motility after a liquid meal
  • Inexpensive
  • Widely available
  • Noninvasive
  • Radiation-free diagnostic modality, so preferred over scintigraphy in pregnant women and children
• The disadvantages of ultrasound include:
  • Operator dependent
  • Lack of evidence for assessing postprandial gastric motility following solid meals
  • Limitation of ultrasound in specific patients who have:
    • Obesity
    • Gas in the stomach
    • Atypical anatomy of the stomach

References[edit | edit source]