title: Strain during gastric contractions can be measured using Doppler ultrasonography.
abstract: This study was undertaken to explore if strain of the muscle layers within the gastric wall could be measured by transabdominal strain rate imaging (SRI), a novel Doppler ultrasound (US) method. A total of 9 healthy fasting subjects (8 women, 1 man; ages 22 to 55 years) were studied and both grey-scale and Doppler US data were acquired with a 5- to 8-MHz linear transducer in cineloops of 97 to 256 frames. Rapid stepwise inflation (5 to 60 mL) of an intragastric bag was carried out and bag pressure and SRI were measured simultaneously. SRI enabled detailed studies of layers within the gastric wall in all subjects. Great variations in strain distribution of the muscle layers were found. Radial strain was much higher in the circular than in the longitudinal muscle layer. Strains derived from SRI correlated well with strains obtained with B-mode measurements (r = 0.98, p < 0.05). During balloon distension, we found an inverse correlation between pressure and radial strain (r = -0.87, p < 0.05). Intraobserver correlation of strain estimation was r = 0.98 (p < 0.05) and intraobserver agreement was 0.2% +/- 18.6% (mean difference +/- 2SD, % strain). Interobserver correlation was r = 0.84 (p < 0.05) and interobserver agreement was 6.9% +/- 56.8%. SRI enables detailed mapping of radial strain distribution of the gastric wall and correlates well with B-mode measurements and pressure increments.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Medicine, Haukeland Hospital, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway. Odd.Gilja@med.uib.no
authors.forename: Odd Helge
authors.initials: OH
authors.lastname: Gilja
authors.forename: Andreas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Heimdal
authors.forename: Trygve
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hausken
authors.forename: Hans
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Gregersen
authors.forename: Knut
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Matre
authors.forename: Arnold
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Berstad
authors.forename: Svein
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ødegaard
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005215:Fasting / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D005746:Gastric Emptying; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009130:Muscle, Smooth / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000502:physiology; D015588:Observer Variation; D011312:Pressure; D011706:Pyloric Antrum / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000502:physiology; D013314:Stress, Mechanical; D018608:Ultrasonography, Doppler / Q000379:methods*