Introduction

An Oesophageal Transit Study checks how well food and liquids move through the oesophagus, the tube that connects the mouth to the stomach.

The Oesophageal Transit Study checks for issues like:

• dysphagia - difficulty swallowing
• achalasia - a problem with the muscles in the oesophagus
• congenital abnormalities – differences in how the oesophagus has developed during pregnancy.

The Oesophageal Transit Study uses:

• a Gamma camera - a large camera that measures radiation
• radiotracer – radioactive fluid that moves through the body. 

The radiotracer is mixed into your child’s food and drink before being swallowed. The gamma camera takes images of the radiotracer moving through your child’s oesophagus and into their stomach.

Your child must stop eating and drinking for 4 hours before the scan. This is called fasting nil by mouth, and it means no solid food or fluids, including breast milk and infant formula.

You will need to bring 5–6 different types of food that: 

• your child finds hard to swallow
• cause the symptoms being investigated. 

The scan will only show what happens when your child eats the specific foods you bring with you, so choose foods relevant to your child's issue.

It is important that you try to choose foods that can absorb a small amount of liquid.

If you have concerns or questions, talk to your child’s doctor.

The scan takes about 45 minutes; you can stay with your child the entire time. 

Your child will not feel anything during the scan, and the radiotracer will not change the taste of their food or make them feel unwell.

Generally, the steps of the scan are:

1. your child wears a hospital gown to protect their clothing from food spills
2. they sit on a chair or your lap, next to the camera
3. their food is cut into small pieces, and a few drops of radiotracer are added to each piece
4. your child eats one piece of food at a time
5. the camera takes pictures of each type of food moving from your child’s mouth, through the oesophagus and into their stomach as they eat.

Your child will eat several pieces of each food, and they can drink water between foods as needed.

You can leave once the results are checked by a doctor or nuclear medicine scientist.

The results will be sent to your child’s doctor within a couple of days. You will need to schedule a follow-up appointment with your child’s doctor to discuss the results.