MedPath

Small and Large Bowel Transit Tests Using MRI (Study 1)

Completed
Conditions
Irritable Bowel Syndrome
Registration Number
NCT01534507
Lead Sponsor
University of Nottingham
Brief Summary

Irritable bowel syndrome, (IBS) is a common functional disorder of the gut that can be quite disabling to patients. The most common symptoms of IBS are abdominal pain or discomfort along with erratic changes in bowel habit of diarrhoea, constipation or a mixture of the two (referred to as IBS subtypes). Despite much research efforts to further understand the pathophysiology of IBS; as yet no specific biomarkers/definitive measurements have been identified that can be use to aid the diagnosis and reduce the need for unnecessary, unpleasant and expensive tests.

Evidence shows that anxiety plays a part in IBS and can speed up transit time in the small bowel. In this study, the investigators hypothesise that since anxiety is a common feature of IBS, then fast small bowel transit is likely to be found in all subtypes of IBS and the difference in stool frequency and consistency in IBS subgroups are therefore likely to reflect differences in colonic function. The investigator wish to test this by measuring both small and large bowel transit times using Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) and validate the results of the MRI with two methods currently used in clinical practice -The previously validated lactose-C13 Ureide breath test (for small bowel transit) and the standard radio-opaque pellet method to assess the whole gut transit (WGT) time.

Detailed Description

The investigator has 2 main parts in this study i.e. Study 1 and Study 2.

As part of study 1, the investigator would like to recruit up to 5 healthy volunteers as a pilot study to optimise measurement and analysis of the Lactose-C13 Ureide breath test along with MRI scannings at regular intervals.

Following from this, the investigator would like assess the feasibility and reproducibility of using MRI imaging to assess gastrointestinal transit. The investigator would like to recruit 21 healthy volunteers to measure orocaecal transit time (OCTT) and whole gut transit(WGT)using the conventional method of Lactose-C13 Ureide breath test for OCTT and the Metcalf method using standard radio-opaque pellet method for WGT and compare them will MRI imaging. Once this has been analysed and the best method for each OCTT and WGT have been decided, these methods would be applied in Study 2.

In study 2, the investigator would like to recruit 30 healthy volunteers, 30 patients with diarrhoea predominantly Irritable Bowel Syndrome, 30 patients with constipation predominantly Irritable Bowel Syndrome and 30 patients with Mixed irritable Bowel Syndrome. The best methods from study 1 for OCTT and WGT will be applied here to assess gastrointestinal transit on these subjects. Based on the first study, the best method to assess OCTT is the Lactose-C13 Ureide breath test and for the WGT, the best method is the MRI marker capsules. Participants will need to fill in questionnaires to assess their stress levels and to fill in symptom questionnaires during the study day.

Recruitment & Eligibility

Status
COMPLETED
Sex
All
Target Recruitment
108
Inclusion Criteria

Not provided

Exclusion Criteria

Not provided

Study & Design

Study Type
OBSERVATIONAL
Study Design
Not specified
Primary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Study 1:Correlation between mean orocaecal transit time as assessed by MRI and lactose C13-ureide9 hours

MRI:Orocaecal transit time (OCTT) can be measured by the first scan showing arrival of the head of a meal in the ascending colon Lactose C13-Ureide breath test:Orocaecal transit time will be taken as the time at which a significant increase from background in breath 13C was seen.

Study 1: Correlation between colonic transit as assessed by from the geometric centre of the PTFE capsule at time 24 and 48 hours and Metcalf Radio-opaque marker method72 hours

Colonic transit using MRI will be measure by assessing the geometric centre position in colon/small bowel.

Whole gut transit time using the Metcalf method of Radio-opaque Marker method would be estimated by counting the number of pellets remaining in the colon in an abdominal x-ray taken in day 4 \* 1.2

Study 2: Fasting small bowel water content1 hour

Fasting small bowel water content (SBWC) in the 3 subgroups of Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) compared to healthy controls

Secondary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Study 2: Colonic volumes both fasting and post prandial (divided into ascending transverse and descending colon)9 hours
Study 2: Whole gut transit time assess by MRI marker capsule from study 124 hours

The best method to assess the whole gut transit time based on study 1 was the use of the MRI marker capsule at time 24hours

Study 1:To assess reproducibility of the using MRI for orocaecal transit time and colonic transit time21 days

In study 1, the orocaecal transit time and colonic transit time would be repeated twice with a week break in between to assess reproducibility of the MRI.

Study 2: Orocaecal transit time using lactose C13-ureide9 hours

Orocaecal transit time in the 3 subgroups of IBS versus healthy control using the best method from study 1 which is the lactose C13-Ureide breath test

Study 2: Area under the curve (AUC) post prandial SBWC9 hours
Study 2: Ascending colon water content (ACWC) and colonic water index (CWI)9 hours
Study 2: Correlation between the Hospital Anxiety & Depression Scale (HADS) and other measures of anxiety and stress score and (a) Oro-caecal transit time and (b)whoe gut transit time9hours

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

University of Nottingham

🇬🇧

Nottingham, Notts, United Kingdom

© Copyright 2025. All Rights Reserved by MedPath