Standards for non-invasive methods for gastrointestinal motility: scintigraphy. A position statement from the Gruppo Italiano di Studio Motilità Apparato Digerente (GISMAD)

Abstract

Scintigraphic techniques are well established methods to assess gastrointestinal transit patterns. The main advantages are represented by the possibility to evaluate, in a relatively non-invasive manner, the transit time of specific components of physiological meals as well as of some digestive secretions. These techniques are generally well accepted by the patients and results are largely not operator dependent. Their main limitation is the use of a radioisotope, that prevents repeated applications in all subjects and immediate exclusion of women of childbearing potential. Due to the high costs of these tests and the limited availability of Nuclear Medicine Departments, scintigraphic techniques should be reserved for well-selected patients. A review is made of the technical requirements and indications for scintigraphic tests currently available for clinical purposes (gastric emptying study, oesophageal transit time, evaluation of gastro-oesophageal reflux, intestinal and colonic transit time, evaluation of biliary motility and of duodenogastric reflux).