Evaluation of gastrointestinal function with isotopic tracers.

Nuclear medicine is the application of tracer methodology mainly to clinical diagnosis. We use chemical compounds labelled with radioisotopes as tracers. The examinations provide us with the information on regional function of tissues and organs. In this review we describe the nuclear medicine procedures for the diagnosis of gastrointestinal diseases based on our experiences. The emphasis is put on the evaluation of the functional aspect of the gastrointestinal tract. The procedures to be described include diagnosis of Meckel's diverticulum by gastric mucosal scintigraphy, measurement of esophageal, gastric and intestinal transit, detection of portocaval shunt and measurement of lactose absorption and detection of bacterial deconjugation of bile salts by means of breath analysis technique.