Gastrin,Serum

Description

The Gastrin, Serum test measures the levels of the hormone gastrin in the blood. Gastrin is produced by G cells in the stomach and duodenum and stimulates the production of stomach acid. This test is primarily used to diagnose conditions that cause excessive gastrin production, such as Zollinger-Ellison syndrome (gastrinomas) and other neuroendocrine tumors. Elevated gastrin levels can also be seen in conditions like pernicious anemia, atrophic gastritis, and certain types of kidney disease. The test is valuable in evaluating patients with recurrent peptic ulcers, severe or treatment-resistant gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), and in the differential diagnosis of various gastrointestinal disorders.