Gastric Profile: A Brief Guide

As mentioned earlier, there are a series of tests performed during a gastric profile–there isn’t just one specific test. As such, these tests measure your digestive system through the examination of your throat, stomach, small and large intestines, liver, biliary tract, esophagus, gall bladder, and pancreas; depending on the test you receive, you may have more than one organ examined simultaneously. The most common types of gastric profile tests include:

• Gastric Acid Secretion Test – is used to measure the amount of acid in the stomach. A small tube is inserted through the nose and into the stomach, and a solution is added to the stomach to stimulate the production of acid. The acidity of the stomach is then measured over time to determine how much acid is being produced.
• Gastric Emptying Test – is used to measure the rate at which food moves through the digestive tract. A small amount of food is ingested, and the movement of the food through the digestive tract is tracked using a special camera. This test can help to identify conditions such as gastroparesis, which is a condition where the stomach empties too slowly.
• Esophageal Manometry –  measures the strength of the muscles in the digestive system. A small tube is inserted through the nose and into the esophagus, and the muscles in the esophagus are stimulated to determine their strength.
• Barium Swallow – is used to examine the gastrointestinal tract for any abnormalities. The test is performed through a series of multiple radiographs.
• Barium Enema – is a medical procedure that examines and diagnoses problems within the colon. A barium enema is performed by taking a radiograph while the colon is filled with enema through the rectum (known as barium sulfate).
• Endoscopic ultrasound – is an echo endoscopy that obtains images of your internal organs within your chest, colon, or abdomen, which can be used to examine the structure of your organs.