Images acquired during a gastric emptying study are primarily used for what purpose?

The primary purpose of images acquired during a gastric emptying study is to demonstrate the exit of the tracer from the stomach. In this nuclear medicine procedure, a radiotracer is ingested with food, and images are taken over time to track how quickly and efficiently the food (containing the tracer) moves from the stomach into the small intestine.

This process is crucial for evaluating gastric motility and identifying potential gastrointestinal disorders such as gastroparesis or gastric outlet obstruction. By visualizing the time it takes for the tracer to exit the stomach, healthcare providers can assess the functional status of gastric emptying and any abnormalities present.

While aspects like biodistribution, drawing regions of interest, and effective gastric plasma flow can be related to imaging in nuclear medicine, they do not capture the primary and direct objective of the gastric emptying study, which is focused on monitoring the dynamics of tracer movement specifically from the stomach.