P4050 - Gastric Emptying Scintigraphy: Understanding Nuclear Medicine’s Real World Clinical Practice

Daniel Staursky, MD¹, Dhanush Shimoga, MBBS², Amanda Tyra, MS², Tharshika Raguraj, MD¹, Vikarsh Bhardwaj, MBBS³, Amol Sharma, MS, MD, FACG^2
1Augusta University, Augusta, GA; ²Medical College of Georgia at Augusta University, Augusta, GA; ³Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College, New Dehli, Delhi, India

Introduction: A gastric emptying scintigraphy (GES) is required for the diagnosis of gastroparesis (Gp). Little is known about GES patients in a nuclear medicine practice. Our aim was to examine patients undergoing GES.

Methods: A retrospective chart review was performed of patients undergoing GES from January 1, 2022 to December 31, 2022 at our institution. Demographics, no show rate, hospital admission in a 90-day window of GES, history, marijuana use, meal completion and study completion rates were recorded. Delayed gastric emptying was defined as gastric retention at 4 hours >10% and further classified as mild (10-25%), moderate (25-50%), severe (50-75%) or very severe ( >75%). Descriptive statistics were performed.

Results: 206 patients underwent GES. Racial demographics were representative of the region (54.7% White, 37.7% Black). Mean age was 54.6 ± 17.0 years. Majority of patients were female (F/M 178/58). Mean BMI was 31.4 (95% CI 23.2-39.2). Eight-seven (36.9%) patients had diabetes. No-show rate for GES was 11.9% (28/236). 16 (6.8%) and 36 (15.3%) patients were admitted 90 and 30 days prior to GES, respectively. 26 (11.0%) and 22 (9.3%) patients were admitted 30 and 90 days after, respectively. 42.4% of all patients were admitted in a 90-day window of GES. GI-related admissions accounted for 67% of hospitalizations, of which 32.8% (22/67) had an organic etiology (pancreatitis, biliary stricture, malignancy). 29 (12.3%) patients were prescribed a prokinetic prior to GES. 5 (2.1%) patients had documented tardive dyskinesia. 37 (15.7%) patients were prescribed narcotics and 27 (11.4%) were prescribed GLP-1 receptor agonists. 13 (5.5%) had documented marijuana use. 6 (2.5%) patients had prior gastric surgery, 4 small bowel resection, 3 colectomy, 15 fundoplications, and 53 cholecystectomies. Most patients tolerated the GES meal (96.2%) and were able to complete the 4-hour test (97.0%). 89 (45.6%) patients had normal gastric emptying (GE), 49 (25.1%) mildly delayed GE, 34 (17.4%) moderately delayed, 13 (6.7%) severely delayed, and 10 (5.1%) very severely delayed. 61.9% of patients with severely or very severely delayed GE were diabetics.

Discussion: This study demonstrates patients undergoing GES have high admission rates. Nearly all GES tests complete 4 hours and meals are tolerated. Further efforts and investigation are needed to ensure appropriate patient selection and access for GES.
This work is supported by RO1-DK133520.


Disclosures:


Daniel Staursky, MD¹, Dhanush Shimoga, MBBS², Amanda Tyra, MS², Tharshika Raguraj, MD¹, Vikarsh Bhardwaj, MBBS³, Amol Sharma, MS, MD, FACG². P4050 - Gastric Emptying Scintigraphy: Understanding Nuclear Medicine’s Real World Clinical Practice, ACG 2024 Annual Scientific Meeting Abstracts. Philadelphia, PA: American College of Gastroenterology.