Radiovitamin B12 as a dilution indicator in gastrointestinal research

Summary The possibility of using radiovitamin B₁₂ as a gastrointestinal dilution indicator has been investigated. It was mixed with polyethylene glycol (PEG) and infused at the level of the papilla of Vater in five secretin tests. The recovered duodenal and gastric juices were analyzed for radio-vitamin B₁₂ and PEG. A very good correlation between the concentrations of the two substances was found, but about 4.5% more radiovitamin B₁₂ than PEG was recovered in the duodenum.