Pediatric Gastroparesis

  • Etiology: Decreased to absent gastric motility
  • Imaging: Distended stomach filled with fluid and solid food
  • DDX: Bezoar, imaging right after a large meal is eaten
  • Complications: Gastroesophageal reflux which can cause aspiration pneumonia
  • Treatment: Usually medical
  • Clinical:

Radiology Cases of Gastroparesis

AXR of gastroparesis
AXR upright shows an extremely distended stomach with an air-fluid level within it that is displacing the transverse colon inferiorly.

Upper GI of pediatric gastroparesis
AP image from an upper GI exam taken 15 minutes after injection of water soluble contrast into the stomach through a nasogastric tube shows some of the contrast to have emptied out of the stomach into the small bowel. Contrast was also emptying out of the stomach through the wound vac on the lower left side of the abdomen. The stomach remains distended with contrast.