Transit with Technetium-99 enables to detect motility disorders unnoticed by usual means

Much of the work with esophageal transit has been undertaken using radionuclide labelled liquids with the patient swallowing the liquid while lying in the supine position. We have used a different technique, which involves the emptying of a radionuclide labelled solid bolus from the esophagus with the patient in the sitting position. The patient chews and swallows a 10 gm disc of Technetium-99m labelled hamburger. This is swallowed when the patient is ready and then swallowing takes place every 15 seconds on command, until 95% of the radio — activity has been cleared from the esophagus into the stomach. If this is not achieved in 30 swallows the test is stopped at that point.