II. Barium Meal X-ray Examination

II. Barium Meal X-ray Examination

Barium meal X-ray examination is an effective method for confirming gastric ptosis. Its characteristics include:

(1) The stomach appears in a "T" shape, with markedly reduced tension; peristalsis is slow, the antrum is significantly dilated, and the body of the stomach is located on the right side of the spine.

(2) The stomach body is descended, extending and expanding toward the lower abdomen, even reaching into the pelvis; the angle cut-off line at the lowest point of the greater curvature is below the level of the bilateral iliac crest lines (waistband)—less than 1–5 cm indicates mild ptosis, 6–10 cm moderate, and over 11 cm severe.

(3) The gastric mucosal folds are thickened, shallower, and more disordered, with frequent inflammation in the antrum.

(4) Gastric emptying time is prolonged, with barium retention in the stomach; about 1/4 to 1/3 of the barium remains in the stomach 6 hours after the barium meal.

(5) The descending portion of the duodenum is located behind the pyloric canal, and the duodenal bulb is shifted to the left.

Section 3: Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine Treatment

Western medicine treats gastric ptosis mainly by providing nutritional support and aiding digestion—symptomatic treatments—with no specific therapies; whereas Traditional Chinese Medicine uses syndrome differentiation and holistic regulation, achieving good therapeutic effects.