Pediatric gastrointestinal transit scintigraphy: From esophageal transit to whole-gut transit

Abstract

Pediatric gastrointestinal scintigraphy provides physiologic, quantitative, and clinically useful information for children with suspected motility disorders, feeding intolerance, reflux or aspiration, refractory constipation, and complex postsurgical anatomy. This review summarizes the role of esophageal transit scintigraphy, gastric emptying and gastroesophageal reflux scintigraphy, and small-bowel and colonic transit scintigraphy in children. These studies complement anatomic imaging, endoscopy, pH-impedance testing, and manometry by directly evaluating the movement of radiolabeled meals or boluses under relatively physiologic conditions.

For each application, the review emphasizes practical patient preparation, meal and radiopharmaceutical selection, acquisition methods, quantitative analysis, interpretation patterns, reporting elements, and common pitfalls. Suggested pediatric protocols are provided in three tables, and representative examples are illustrated as figures. Because pediatric normative data are limited for several gastrointestinal transit applications, results should be interpreted in the context of patient age, symptoms, meal type, position, medication status, prior surgery, and institutional methodology. A structured and clinically oriented approach can improve the diagnostic value of pediatric gastrointestinal scintigraphy and help guide multidisciplinary management.

Pediatric gastrointestinal scintigraphy provides physiologic, quantitative, and clinically useful information for children with suspected motility disorders, feeding intolerance, reflux or aspiration, refractory constipation, and complex postsurgical anatomy. This review summarizes the role of esophageal transit scintigraphy, gastric emptying and gastroesophageal reflux scintigraphy, and small-bowel and colonic transit scintigraphy in children. These studies complement anatomic imaging, endoscopy, pH-impedance testing, and manometry by directly evaluating the movement of radiolabeled meals or boluses under relatively physiologic conditions.

For each application, the review emphasizes practical patient preparation, meal and radiopharmaceutical selection, acquisition methods, quantitative analysis, interpretation patterns, reporting elements, and common pitfalls. Suggested pediatric protocols are provided in three tables, and representative examples are illustrated as figures. Because pediatric normative data are limited for several gastrointestinal transit applications, results should be interpreted in the context of patient age, symptoms, meal type, position, medication status, prior surgery, and institutional methodology. A structured and clinically oriented approach can improve the diagnostic value of pediatric gastrointestinal scintigraphy and help guide multidisciplinary management.