Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42739246›Full record

ReviewDiagnostics (Basel, Switzerland)2026

Comparison of Ultrasound and Scintigraphy in Gastric Emptying: A Comprehensive Review.

Emilie Lein, Karen L Jones, Odd Helge Gilja

Abstract readReview
In one paragraph

Review in Diagnostics (Basel, Switzerland), 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

3 authors.

Emilie LeinDepartment of Clinical Medicine, University of Bergen, 5007 Bergen, Norway.
Karen L JonesSchool of Medicine, Adelaide University, Adelaide 5005, Australia.ORCID 0000-0002-1155-5816
Odd Helge GiljaDepartment of Clinical Medicine, University of Bergen, 5007 Bergen, Norway.ORCID 0000-0002-0436-0383

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Gastric emptying is the process by which gastric contents are transferred from the stomach to the small intestine for further digestion and nutrient absorption. It is the result of multiple gastrointestinal mechanisms and is essential for understanding the kinetics of digestion in humans. Delayed gastric emptying is clinically relevant as it is commonly observed in conditions such as gastroparesis and functional dyspepsia. A wide range of diagnostic modalities are available to assess gastric emptying, including scintigraphy, ultrasonography, magnetic resonance imaging, gastric aspiration, and stable isotope breath tests. Scintigraphy is widely regarded as the 'gold standard' technique, as it enables a direct quantitative assessment of gastric emptying following ingestion of a radiolabeled meal(s). Scintigraphy is non-invasive, reproducible, widely available, and well tolerated; however, it lacks standardized protocols, is time-consuming, costly, and necessitates exposure to ionizing radiation. Although the radiation dose is low, cumulative exposure remains a concern, particularly in pediatric and pregnant populations. In contrast, ultrasonography is safe, non-invasive, portable, inexpensive, and free from radiation exposure. Nevertheless, the application of ultrasound is limited by operator dependency and the need for technical expertise, and image quality may be affected by factors such as obesity and intraluminal gas. Furthermore, there is substantial methodological variability across studies, and its use in assessing gastric emptying of semisolid and solid meals is less well established. 3D ultrasonography, in particular, shows promise as a safe, non-invasive method for assessing gastric emptying. Further studies are required to promote the consistent application of established scintigraphic gastric emptying protocols across centers and to validate 3D ultrasound, particularly with solid meals, to potentially enhance its role as an alternative to scintigraphy. This article represents a comprehensive review based on a structured literature search with the primary aim of comparing ultrasonographic and scintigraphic measurements of gastric emptying, including the advantages and disadvantages of both methods.

Indexed as

gastric emptyinggastric functionscintigraphystomachultrasound

Identifiers

PMID42739246
PMCPMC13565500

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.