Quantification of Gastric Contractions Using MRI with a Natural Contrast Agent

Is there a fast track ("Darmstrasse") for fluids in the small intestine? Evidence from magnetic resonance imaging

BACKGROUND

The transit and distribution pattern of fluids in the small intestine is a key parameter for the dissolution and absorption of drugs. Although some information is known about the small intestinal water content after administration of fluid volumes and meals, the intestinal transit of orally ingested fluids and solutions has been barely investigated. The aim of this three-arm, cross-over, 9-subject human study was to investigate the transit of orally ingested water in the small intestine under fasting and postprandial conditions using MRI. To identify the ingested water, manganese gluconate, which can be identified with T1-weighted MRI sequences, was added as a marker. Using Horos (DICOM software), quantification of the distribution of Mn2+ ions in the gastrointestinal tract in fasted versus fed state (standard meal by FDA guidance and a light meal) was possible. The distribution and approximate wetted intestinal length was very similar in the fasting and postprandial states, suggesting rapid transport of water ingested after a meal through the chyme-filled small intestine in continuation of the "Magenstrasse" (stomach road). In some subjects, manganese gluconate reached deeper parts of the small intestine even more quickly in the postprandial state than in the fasting arm of the study. A deeper understanding of the behaviour of solutes in the gastrointestinal tract is fundamental to a mechanistic explanation for the kinetic interaction between food and drug intake (food effects).

Magnetic Resonance Imaging of the Gastrointestinal Tract: Current Role, Recent Advancements and Future Prospectives

This review focuses on the role of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in the evaluation of the gastrointestinal tract (GI MRI), analyzing the major technical advances achieved in this field, such as diffusion-weighted imaging, molecular imaging, motility studies, and artificial intelligence. Today, MRI performed with the more advanced imaging techniques allows accurate assessment of many bowel diseases, particularly inflammatory bowel disease and rectal cancer; in most of these diseases, MRI is invaluable for diagnosis, staging, and disease monitoring under treatment. Several MRI parameters are currently considered activity biomarkers for inflammation and neoplastic disease. Furthermore, in younger patients with acute or chronic GI disease, MRI can be safely used for short-term follow-up studies in many critical clinical situations because it is radiation-free. MRI assessment of functional gastro-esophageal and small bowel disorders is still in its infancy but very promising, while it is well established and widely used for dynamic assessment of anorectal and pelvic floor dysfunction; MRI motility biomarkers have also been described. There are still some limitations to GI MRI related to high cost and limited accessibility. However, technical advances are expected, such as faster sequences, more specific intestinal contrast agents, AI analysis of MRI data, and possibly increased accessibility to GI MRI studies. Clinical interest in the evaluation of bowel disease using MRI is already very high, but is expected to increase significantly in the coming years.

MRI Derived Simulations of Flow Patterns in the Stomach

A framework to simulate the flow in the stomach using subject-specific motility patterns and geometries was developed. Dynamic 2D magnetic resonance images (MRIs) were obtained. Motility parameters such as contraction speed and occlusion were quantified, and 3D stomach geometries were reconstructed using a semi-automated approach. Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations were performed, and flow patterns were investigated. The stomach of both subjects had distinct anatomical features with computed volumes of 789 mL and 619 mL. For the one subject, the occlusion (i.e., normalized contraction size) was 12% while it was around 25% for the other subject. Contraction speeds were also different (1.9-2.8 mm/s vs 3.0-5.1 mm/s) for each subject. CFD simulations resulted in unsteady laminar flow for both subjects with average velocities of 2.1 and 3.2 mm/s. While antegrade flow was mainly observed in the simulations, a retropulsive jet was also present in both stomachs. The versatile framework developed within this study would allow the generation of CFD models of gastric motility from dynamic MRIs.Clinical Relevance- Subject-specific models of flow patterns informed by gastric motility features can elucidate the impact of contractions and anatomical variations on digestion. Such models can inform therapies to treat gastric dysfunctions and improve their efficacy.