Submitted on August 1, 2008
Revised on September 10, 2008
Accepted on January 12, 2009
Methods for Measurement of Gastric Motility
Lawrence A. Szarka1 and Michael Camilleri1*
1 Mayo Clinic
* To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: camilleri.michael{at}mayo.edu.
There is an array of tests available to measure gastric motility. Some tests measure endpoints, such as gastric emptying, that result from several different functions, whereas other tests are more specific and test only a single parameter, such as contractility. This article reviews the tests most commonly available in practice and research to evaluate in vivo the gastric functions of emptying, accommodation, contractility, and myoelectrical activity. The rationale for testing, the relative strengths and weaknesses of each test, and technical details are summarized. We also briefly indicate the applications and validations of the tests for use in experimental animal studies.
