Abstract

This study was designed to sonographically measure the basal gastric antral area, gastric motility and gastric emptying time of a standardized meal in healthy Nigerian subjects. The gastric antral area was measured pre-prandially using the antero-posterior and the longitudinal diameters in 24 healthy subjects. These measurements were repeated every 5 min after the ingestion of liquid meals for 30 min. The gastric basal antral area, gastric emptying rate (GER), gastric emptying ratio and gastric emptying time were calculated. Anthropometric variables were measured. Statistical analysis was conducted using SPSS version 16.0 with P< 0.05 as criterion of statistical significance. The mean ± standard deviation for basal gastric antral area and gastric emptying ratio were 384 ± 187 mm² and 1.56 ± 0.2, respectively. The stomach emptied completely between 25 and 30 min. Body surface area significantly correlated with the 15^th minute gastric emptying ratio (GERA₁₅). A simple linear regression equation for GERA₁₅ was derived as 0.64BSA + 0.46. This study attempted to establish a standard model for assessing gastric emptying of a liquid meal. The normal values established in this study can be used alongside the prediction formula in the assessment of gastric motility and morbidity in patients with impaired gastric accommodation and early satiety. This small sample survey has provided a novel data which would serve as a pilot and justify the need for future research in this direction.

Key words: Sonographic quantification, gastric basal antral area, gastric emptying rate (GER), gastric emptying ratio, gastric emptying time.