Radioisotope determination of regional colonic transit in severe constipation: Comparison with radio opaque markers

Abstract

Radio-opaque markers have a well established role in distinguishing between patients with normal and those with slow intestinal transit, but in the latter group their accuracy in defining the region of delay has not been established. To study regional colonic transit accurately the transit of a radioisotope labelled meal was determined and findings were compared with those of simultaneously ingested radio-opaque markers. Twelve healthy controls (mean age 33 years) and 12 severely constipated women (mean age 36 years, bowel frequency < once per week) were studied. On day 1, a meal containing 10 MBq 111In bound to 0.7 mm resin microspheres was ingested. Subjects also ingested a set of radiolog..