Oatmeal-Labeling Ideal for Molecular Imaging of Stomach Emptying

Patients undergoing molecular imaging to assess their stomach's ability to clear food are going to have a completely new kind of breakfast. A study has validated that nuclear medicine technologists can effectively use oatmeal products radiolabeled with a medical isotope to target and image the emptying of the stomach.

"The current standard for molecular imaging of gastric emptying is radiolabeling egg meal, but there are patients who, either due to lifestyle choices or allergies, cannot eat eggs," said Dr. Tory Maloy, senior nuclear medicine technologist at Northwestern Memorial Hospital (Chicago, IL, USA) "With this research we have demonstrated that there is an equally effective way to label oatmeal for gastric emptying studies."

Molecular imaging of gastric emptying is a common procedure, and current scientific research advises nuclear medicine technologists to radiolabel egg meal as an imaging agent for patient consumption prior to imaging. This study marks the first of its kind assessing the appropriate method for radiolabeling instant oatmeal products, both traditional and gluten-free.

During the study, researchers used an imaging agent called Tc99m SC (sulfur colloid) both before and after boiling water for oatmeal preparation. Small amounts of water were added to samples of the oatmeal products. Separation of the oatmeal that was bound successfully with the agent from the remaining unbound agent was accomplished with low-speed centrifugation for two minutes. Radiolabeling activity was gauged with a dose calibrator and compared to that of traditional radiolabeled egg meal.

The study's findings revealed that radiolabeling was considerably improved by labeling before boiling water and that radiolabeled oatmeal was just as effective as egg meal for the molecular imaging of gastric emptying. This study expands the current scientific literature regarding radiolabeling for gastric emptying studies and provides patients a safe and effective alternative to imaging with radiolabeled egg meal.

The study's findings were presented at the SNM's 58th annual meeting, held June 4-8, 2011, in San Antonio (TX, USA).

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