摘要 |
The invention provides a diagnostic test for gastrointestinal disorders by providing a safe, convenient, reliable method for measuring gastric emptying. In this test, a tracer amount of 13C-glutamine or 13C-glutamic acid is added to a liquid meal, or 13C-glutamic acid added to a solid meal. After digestion in the stomach, the meal is emptied into the small bowel, where the labeled 13C-tracer is immediately taken up and metabolized by the cells lining the small bowel. The released 13CO2 is detected in the breath. The measurement of rise in the level of 13CO2 as a function of time is correlated to the rate of gastric emptying.
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