New Directions in the Assessment of Gastric Function: Clinical Applications of Physiologic Measurements

A variety of methods exist to assess gastric motor and sensory function. Specific techniques allow for the measurement of emptying, contractility, accommodation and sensation. Several of these techniques are suitable for in-office use rather than in a hospital or gastroenterology laboratory. While gastric function tests continue to proliferate and become more clinically accessible, their relevance to specific digestive symptoms or syndromes remains poorly studied. Additionally, the ability of gastric function testing to guide therapy or predict responses to interventions also remains poorly studied. Gastric function testing should be employed cautiously in clinical practice with an awareness that test results represent observations rather than diagnosis.