Continuous anterior acquisitions in gastric emptying: comparison with the mean.

Depth correction is necessary when gastric emptying is studied by means of a labeled meal. In this study continuous anterior images were acquired from the onset of the food ingestion. Differences in depth were measured using a left lateral view. A minimal and crude depth correction was performed. The results obtained with this correction method were compared with those obtained using the depth correction technique of the mean. The results obtained in the anterior projection without any depth correction were also compared with those obtained using the method of the mean. The results obtained with both correction techniques were identical in 18 gastric emptying studies. This approach also permits the creation of a time-activity curve over the duodenum in the anterior projection. In this way the lag phase can easily be assessed.