Mandatory and optional function tests in gastroduodenal disorders

A number of patients have symptoms suggestive of a disturbance of gastroduodenal function. Current gastric function tests allow us to study gastric emptying, motor activity, gastroduodenal sensitivity to distention and accommodation to a meal. The best application of these tests seems to be in the explanation of symptoms. However, most of the available tests have a low diagnostic specificity, and their results usually have no major impact on the choice of therapy. In rare or refractory cases, small bowel manometry may lead to specific diagnoses and gastric emptying testing may prompt the decision to consider more invasive therapies. Gastroduodenal function tests do not seem to predict the response to therapy or the prognosis of patients with presumed gastric sensory or motor disorders. The main limitation to a greater clinical usefulness of gastroduodenal function testing is the lack of therapeutic alternatives.