Rumination Syndrome

Diagnosis

Diagnosis of rumination syndrome often does not require imaging or other tests. It requires an accurate history and description of symptoms, and possibly, observation of a person's behavior.

Receiving an early, accurate diagnosis can spare you from undergoing unnecessary, costly and invasive testing procedures and can focus attention more quickly on effective treatment.

The following tests may be performed to rule out other potential underlying causes:

• Upper gastrointestinal endoscopy. A flexible tube (endoscope) with a camera on its tip is inserted through the mouth to examine the gastrointestinal tract; tissue samples (biopsies) can be taken at the same time.
• Stomach (gastric) emptying study. You swallow a very small amount of radioactive material mixed with food that is tracked by a special camera as the food passes through the digestive tract. Mayo typically performs a longer, four-hour study to get a more complete picture.
• Gastroduodenal manometry. A tube is inserted into your mouth to measure how well the smooth muscles of your stomach and small intestine contract and relax.
• Ultrasound or contrast X-rays. In infants, ultrasound or contrast X-rays may be performed to rule out hiatal hernia and pyloric stenosis as possible causes.