title: Established and emerging methods for assessment of small and large intestinal motility.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Gastrointestinal symptoms are common in the general population and may originate from disturbances in gut motility. However, fundamental mechanistic understanding of motility remains inadequate, especially of the less accessible regions of the small bowel and colon. Hence, refinement and validation of objective methods to evaluate motility of the whole gut is important. Such techniques may be applied in clinical settings as diagnostic tools, in research to elucidate underlying mechanisms of diseases, and to evaluate how the gut responds to various drugs. A wide array of such methods exists; however, a limited number are used universally due to drawbacks like radiation exposure, lack of standardization, and difficulties interpreting data. In recent years, several new methods such as the 3D-Transit system and magnetic resonance imaging assessments on small bowel and colonic motility have emerged, with the advantages that they are less invasive, use no radiation, and provide much more detailed information.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  This review outlines well-established and emerging methods to evaluate small bowel and colonic motility in clinical settings and in research. The latter include the 3D-Transit system, magnetic resonance imaging assessments, and high-resolution manometry. Procedures, indications, and the relative strengths and weaknesses of each method are summarized.
authors.affiliation: Mech-Sense, Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Aalborg University Hospital, Aalborg, Denmark.|Department of Clinical Medicine, Aalborg University, Aalborg, Denmark.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Grønlund
authors.affiliation: Mech-Sense, Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Aalborg University Hospital, Aalborg, Denmark.|Department of Clinical Medicine, Aalborg University, Aalborg, Denmark.
authors.forename: J L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Poulsen
authors.affiliation: Mech-Sense, Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Aalborg University Hospital, Aalborg, Denmark.
authors.forename: T H
authors.initials: TH
authors.lastname: Sandberg
authors.affiliation: Mech-Sense, Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Aalborg University Hospital, Aalborg, Denmark.|Department of Clinical Medicine, Aalborg University, Aalborg, Denmark.|Department of Drug Design and Pharmacology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.
authors.forename: A E
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Olesen
authors.affiliation: Mech-Sense, Department of Radiology, Aalborg University Hospital, Aalborg, Denmark.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Madzak
authors.affiliation: Neurogastroenterology Unit, Department of Hepatology and Gastroenterology, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Krogh
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Medicine, Aalborg University, Aalborg, Denmark.|Mech-Sense, Department of Radiology, Aalborg University Hospital, Aalborg, Denmark.
authors.forename: J B
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Frøkjaer
authors.affiliation: Mech-Sense, Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Aalborg University Hospital, Aalborg, Denmark.|Department of Clinical Medicine, Aalborg University, Aalborg, Denmark.
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Drewes
mesh_terms: D001944:Breath Tests / Q000379:methods; D005767:Gastrointestinal Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology; D005769:Gastrointestinal Motility / Q000502:physiology*; D005772:Gastrointestinal Transit / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D007420:Intestine, Large / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000502:physiology*; D007421:Intestine, Small / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000502:physiology*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods; D008365:Manometry / Q000379:methods*; D011877:Radionuclide Imaging / Q000379:methods
keywords: gastrointestinal symptoms; gut motility; transit time