Miscellaneous GI studies

The use of radiotracers has served as a valuable adjunct to the myriad of methods available to the physiologist and clinician for measuring various parameters of gastrointestinal (GI) function. The advantage of the technique that employs a radioactive label is the ability to measure function by noninvasive means with relatively little discomfort to the subject. Procedures of this type consist usually of administration of a radioactive form of a substance, by either the oral or intravenous route, followed by radioassay of postadministration samples of body fluids, excreta, or breath. On occasion the body itself is used as the definitive sample for radioassay