A RADIONUCLIDE RAPID METHOD FOR CLINICAL ESTIMATION OF GASTRIC-JUICE PROTEOLYTIC ACTIVITY AND ACIDITY

A new method for radionuclide measurement of gastric juice proteolytic activity (GJPA) is described. GJPA is determined according to the time of dissolution of the protein capsule filled with 99mTc-pertechnetate solution. In vitro experiments made with 342 samples of gastric juice revealed a correlation (p1 < 0,01) between the time of dissolution of the 99mTc-pertechnetate capsule and proteolytic activity measured according to Metta's method. No correlation was established between GJPA (measured by Mett's method and by radionuclide method) and gastric juice acidity (p > 0,05). In 63 patients examined, the time of capsule dissolution was 15 to 18 minutes with GJPA being normal, 8 to 14 minutes (p < 0.01) with elevated parameters of GJPA, and 19 to 37 minutes (p < 0.01) with GJPA being reduced. The given method is a physiological one, sufficiently precise and can be recommended for a screening analysis of GJPA.