Magnetic resonance imaging assessed enteric motility and luminal content analysis in patients with severe bloating and visible distension

BACKGROUND: Gastrointestinal symptoms in functional gut disorders occur without any discernible structural gut abnormality. Preliminary observations on enteric MRI suggest possible abnormal content and motility of the terminal ileum (TI) in constipation‐predominant IBS (IBS‐C) with severe bloating, and in functional bloating and distension (FABD) patients. We investigated whether MRI can quantify differences in small bowel (SB) content and motility between patients and healthy controls (HCs). METHODS: 11 IBS‐C (mean age 40 [21–52] years; 10 women) and 7 FABD (36 [21–56]; all women) patients with bloating and 20 HCs (28 [22–48]; 6 women) underwent enteric MRI, including dynamic motility and anatomical sequences. Three texture analysis (TA) parameters assessed the homogeneity of the luminal content, with ratios calculated between the TI and (1) the SB and (2) the ascending colon. Four TI motility metrics were derived. Ascending colon diameter (ACD) was measured. A comparison between HCs and patients was performed independently for: (1) three TA parameters, (2) four TI motility metrics, and (3) ACD. KEY RESULTS: Compared with HCs, patients had TI:colon ratios higher for TA contrast (p < 0.001), decreased TI motility (lower mean motility [p = 0.04], spatial motility variation [p = 0.03], and area of motile TI [p = 0.03]), and increased ACD (p = 0.001). CONCLUSIONS AND INFERENCES: IBS‐C and FABD patients show reduced TI motility and differences in luminal content compared with HCs. This potentially indicates reflux of colonic contents or delayed clearance of the TI, which alongside increased ACD may contribute to symptoms of constipation and bloating.