Pentagastrin is commonly used in which of the following scans?

Pentagastrin is a synthetic peptide that stimulates gastric acid secretion and is primarily utilized in nuclear medicine studies to enhance the visualization of certain conditions, particularly Meckel's diverticulum. When used in scintigraphy, pentagastrin promotes the secretion of technetium-99m pertechnetate in the gastric mucosa, making it easier to identify ectopic gastric tissue, which is a hallmark of Meckel's diverticulum.

In the context of this scan, pentagastrin increases the sensitivity and specificity when assessing patients suspected of having Meckel's diverticulum, as it can help differentiate between normal and abnormal uptake that might otherwise go undetected. The use of pentagastrin in this context is particularly valuable because Meckel's diverticulum can contain gastric mucosa, leading to false negatives if gastric stimulation is not present.

The other options do not typically involve the use of pentagastrin for inspection or diagnosis. Gastric emptying studies primarily measure the function of the gastric system without the need for pentagastrin. Evaluating deep vein thrombosis generally relies on ultrasound or other imaging modalities rather than nuclear medicine techniques involving gastric secretions, and the LeVeen shunt patency assessment focuses more on