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World J Gastroenterol. Mar 7, 2007; 13(9): 1408-1421
Published online Mar 7, 2007. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v13.i9.1408
Advanced imaging and visualization in gastrointestinal disorders
Odd Helge Gilja, Jan G Hatlebakk, Svein Ødegaard, Arnold Berstad, Ivan Viola, Christopher Giertsen, Trygve Hausken, Hans Gregersen
Odd Helge Gilja, Svein Ødegaard, Trygve Hausken, National Centre for Ultrasound in Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, Haukeland University Hospital, Norway
Odd Helge Gilja, Jan G Hatlebakk, Svein Ødegaard, Arnold Berstad, Trygve Hausken, Hans Gregersen, Institute of Medicine, 3Institute of Informatics University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
Ivan Viola, Institute of Informatics, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
Christopher Giertsen, Christian Michelsen Research AS, Bergen, Norway
Hans Gregersen, Center for Visceral Biomechanics and Pain, Aalborg Hospital and Center for Sensory-motor Interaction, Aalborg University, Denmark
Author contributions: All authors contributed equally to the work.
Correspondence to: Odd Helge Gilja, NSGU, Department of Medicine, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen N-5021, Norway. odd.gilja@uib.no
Telephone: +47-55975000 Fax: +47-55972950
Received: December 11, 2006
Revised: December 28, 2006
Accepted: January 10, 2007
Published online: March 7, 2007
Abstract

Advanced medical imaging and visualization has a strong impact on research and clinical decision making in gastroenterology. The aim of this paper is to show how imaging and visualization can disclose structural and functional abnormalities of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. Imaging methods such as ultrasonography, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), endoscopy, endosonography, and elastography will be outlined and visualization with Virtual Reality and haptic methods. Ultrasonography is a versatile method that can be used to evaluate antral contractility, gastric emptying, transpyloric flow, gastric configuration, intragastric distribution of meals, gastric accommodation and strain measurement of the gastric wall. Advanced methods for endoscopic ultrasound, three-dimensional (3D) ultrasound, and tissue Doppler (Strain Rate Imaging) provide detailed information of the GI tract. Food hypersensitivity reactions including gastrointestinal reactions due to food allergy can be visualized by ultrasonography and MRI. Development of multi-parametric and multi-modal imaging may increase diagnostic benefits and facilitate fusion of diagnostic and therapeutic imaging in the future.

Keywords: Ultrasonography, Medical imaging, Functional imaging, Elasticity