Assessment of small bowel motility function With cine‐MRI using balanced steady‐state free precession sequence

Abstract

Purpose: To evaluate the use of cine-magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) with a steady-state free precession sequence to monitor and assess small bowel motility.Materials and Methods: Sequential MRI, using a balanced steady-state free precession sequence, was performed in eight healthy male volunteers at 0, 15, 30, 45, and 60 minutes after oral administration of 1500 mL of nonabsorbable fluid to monitor small bowel contractions. Using the cine-mode display, small bowel contractions were reviewed and the luminal diameter was measured on each image to obtain frequency and amplitude of bowel contractions.Results: The oral preparation was well tolerated without major complications. Cine-MRI provided high temporal, spatial, and contrast resolution for monitoring bowel contractions. Mean values with standard deviations of frequency and amplitude of bowel contractions were 6.0 6 2.98/min and 10.4 6 4.53 mm, respectively, and were 5.1 6 3.38/min and 9.59 6 5.57 mm at the jejunal loops and 6.9 6 2.22/min and 11.2 6 3.06 mm at the ileal loops. With the passage of luminal fluid, frequency of bowel contractions decreased and the bowels tended to pause their contractions. Conclusion:Cine-MRI provides sufficient dynamic images to observe small bowel contractions. Measurement of bowel caliber permits calculation of amplitude and frequency of the contractions for characterization and quantitative assessment of small bowel motility function.

Evaluation of the anti-peristaltic effect of glucagon and hyoscine on the small bowel: comparison of intravenous and intramuscular drug administration

“…Bowel motility has been assessed by various MRI techniques such as two-dimensional turbo fast-field echo [16] or a balanced steady-state free precession sequence [17].In these recent studies, the deformation of the analyzed bowel loops was recorded by measuring the crosssection diameters of the bowel lumen over time. These onedimensional values yielded motility patterns with amplitudes and frequencies of wall contractions in single small bowel segments.…”

MR enterography in Crohn’s disease: current consensus on optimal imaging technique and future advances from the SAR Crohn’s disease-focused panel

“…Finally, Cine MR enterography (cine MRE) can provide functional evaluation of small bowel peristalsis [29][30][31][32]. Using the same BSSFP sequence, between 6 and 16 images can be obtained with 25 phases in each image and a temporal resolution of 1-2 s. To ensure coverage of the entire small bowel, 8-mm slice thickness is sufficient with 1.5 mm gap.…”

Erratum to: Identifying decreased peristalsis of abnormal small bowel segments in Crohn’s disease using cine MR enterography: the frozen bowel sign

“…First established with fluoroscopy, small bowel peristalsis can be evaluated with MRE using a cine balanced steady-state free precession series (cine BSSFP) [20]. In patients with known Crohn's disease, inflamed small bowel segments can have motility changes which usually manifest as decreased or absent peristalsis compared to normal small bowel segments [21][22][23][24][25][26][27][28][29][30][31][32].…”