Scintigraphic validation of a magnetic resonance imaging method to study gastric emptying of a solid meal in humans.

Abstract

We have previously used a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) method to study gastric emptying of liquids. So far, however, it has not possible to assess solid gastric emptying with this technique. To validate scintigraphically MRI as a method for measuring emptying of a mixed solid/liquid meal. In eight healthy subjects, gastric emptying of a solid/liquid (SM) and a liquid meal (LM) of identical energy content and macronutrient composition was studied by scintigraphy and MRI for 120 minutes. MRI and scintigraphy agreed with respect to emptying profiles (intraclass correlation coefficient (RI) SM: 0.988, RI, LM: 0.917), t1/2 (SMMRI: 129 (9), SMScinti: 123 (11) minutes, NS; LMMRI: 100 (7), LMScinti: 110 (8) minutes, NS) and AUC (SMMRI: 8999 (232), SMScinti: 8788 (277) min%, NS; LMMRI: 8819 (368), LMScinti: 8891 (321) min%, NS). MRI can be used to measure reliably gastric emptying not only of liquid but also of mixed solid/liquid meals in humans.