Gastric emptying of a standard semifluid test-meal, labeled with 99mTc-DTPA, was studied by functional scintigraphy in 88 subjects (normals, patients with duodenal and gastric ulcer before and after selective proximal vagotomy with and without pyloroplasty). Gastric emptying curves were analysed by the method of principal components. Patients after selective proximal vagotomy with pyloroplasty showed an rapid initial emptying, whereas this was a rare finding in patients after selective proximal vagotomy without pyloroplasty. The method of principal components is well suited for mathematical analysis of gastric emptying; nevertheless the results are difficult to interpret. The method has advantages when looking at larger collectives and allows a separation into groups with different gastric emptying.