Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39737873›Full record

ArticleNeurogastroenterology and motility2026

Magnetic Resonance Imaging of Gastric Motility in Conscious Rats.

Xiaokai Wang, Fatimah Alkaabi, Ashley Cornett, Minkyu Choi, Ulrich M Scheven, Madeleine R Di Natale, John B Furness, Zhongming Liu

Abstract read
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in Neurogastroenterology and motility, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 5 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
5citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

5 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Review
  2. Interoception network in the rat brain.Imaging neuroscience (Cambridge, Mass.) · 2026
    Article
  3. Article
  4. Article
  5. Influence of isoflurane and propofol on gastric slow wave patterns and pacing efficacy in pigs.American journal of physiology. Gastrointestinal and liver physiology · 2025
    Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

8 authors.

Xiaokai WangDepartment of Biomedical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA.
Fatimah AlkaabiDepartment of Biomedical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA.
Ashley CornettDepartment of Biomedical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA.
Minkyu ChoiDivision of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA.
Ulrich M SchevenDepartment of Mechanical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA.
Madeleine R Di NataleDepartment of Anatomy and Physiology, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia.
John B FurnessDepartment of Anatomy and Physiology, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0219-3438
Zhongming LiuDepartment of Biomedical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA.

Funding

Regional Pilot And Feasibility Study Grants ProgramP30DK020572 · NIDDK · UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN AT ANN ARBOR · PI DAVID P OLSON · 2013 to 2026
$24.3M
Functional Neural Circuits of Stomach-Brain InteroceptionR01AT011665 · NCCIH · UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN AT ANN ARBOR · PI CHEN, JIANDE, LIU, ZHONGMING · 2021 to 2025
$2.8M
Use of novel MRI technology to study pathophysiology diabetic gastroparesisR01DK131524 · NIDDK · UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN AT ANN ARBOR · PI CHEN, JIANDE, WILEY, JOHN W · 2021 to 2025
$1.9M
The Virtual StomachOT2OD030538 · OD · UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN AT ANN ARBOR · PI CHENG, LEO, LIU, ZHONGMING · 2020 to 2021
$1.7M
NCCIH NIH HHS R01 AT011665NIDDK NIH HHS P30 DK020572NIDDK NIH HHS R01 DK131524NIH HHS AT011665NIH HHS DK131524NIH HHS OD030538NIH HHS OT2 OD030538University of Michigan
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

introductionGastrointestinal (GI) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) enables simultaneous assessment of gastric peristalsis, emptying, and intestinal filling and transit. However, GI MRI in animals typically requires anesthesia, which complicates physiology and confounds interpretation and translation to humans. This study aimed to establish GI MRI in conscious rats, and for the first time, characterize GI motor functions in awake versus anesthetized conditions.

methodsFourteen Sprague-Dawley rats were acclimated to remain awake, still, and minimally stressed during MRI. GI MRI was performed under both awake and anesthetized conditions following voluntary consumption of a contrast-enhanced test meal.

resultsAwake rats remained physiologically stable during MRI, giving rise to gastric emptying of 23.7% ± 1.4% at 48 min and robust peristaltic contractions propagating through the antrum at 0.72 ± 0.04 mm/s, with a relative amplitude of 40.7% ± 2.3% and a frequency of 5.1 ± 0.1 cycles per minute. Under anesthesia, gastric emptying was approximately halved, mainly due to a significant reduction in peristaltic contraction amplitude, rather than the change in propagation speed, whereas the contraction frequency remained unchanged. Additionally, the small intestine showed faster filling and stronger motility in awake rats.

conclusionThis study demonstrates the feasibility of GI MRI in awake rats and highlights notable differences in gastric and intestinal motility between awake and anesthetized states. Our protocol provides a novel and valuable framework for preclinical studies of GI physiology and pathophysiology.

Indexed as

Gastrointestinal MotilityMagnetic Resonance ImagingStomachAnimalsConsciousnessGastric EmptyingMalePeristalsisRatsRats, Sprague-Dawleyanesthesiaawakegastric emptyinggastric motilityMRI

Identifiers

PMID39737873
PMCPMC12206934

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.