Guidelines Clinical Practice
Copyright ©2009 The WJG Press and Baishideng. All rights reserved.
World J Gastroenterol. Jan 14, 2009; 15(2): 160-168
Published online Jan 14, 2009. doi: 10.3748/wjg.15.160
Imaging of the gastrointestinal tract-novel technologies
Jens Brøndum Frøkjær, Asbjørn Mohr Drewes, Hans Gregersen
Jens Brøndum Frøkjær, Asbjørn Mohr Drewes, Hans Gregersen, Mech-Sence, Aalborg Hospital, DK-9000 Aalborg, Denmark
Jens Brøndum Frøkjær, Department of Radiology, Aalborg Hospital, DK-9000 Aalborg, Denmark
Asbjørn Mohr Drewes, Mech-Sense, Department of Medical Gastroenterology, Aalborg University Hospital, DK-9000 Aalborg, Denmark
Hans Gregersen, National Center for Ultrasound in Gastroenterology, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway; Center for Sensory-Motor Interaction (SMI), Department of Health Science and Technology, Aalborg University, Denmark; Center for Sensory-Motor Interaction (SMI), Department of Health Science and Technology, Aalborg University, DK-9000 Aalborg, Denmark
Author contributions: Frøkjær JB wrote the review, Gregersen H and Drewes AM contributed equally to the overall guidelines and inspiration.
Correspondence to: Jens Brøndum Frøkjær, MD, PhD, Mech-Sence, Department of Radiology, Aalborg Hospital, DK-9100 Aalborg, Denmark. jf@mech-sense.com
Telephone: +45-99326825
Fax: +45-99326407
Received: September 10, 2008
Revised: November 20, 2008
Accepted: November 27, 2008
Published online: January 14, 2009
Abstract

Imaging of the gastrointestinal tract is very useful for research and clinical studies of patients with symptoms arising from the gastrointestinal tract and in visualising anatomy and pathology. Traditional radiological techniques played a leading role in such studies for a long time. However, advances in non-invasive modalities including ultrasound (US), computed tomography (CT), positron emission tomography (PET), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), etc, have in the last decades revolutionised the way in which the gastrointestinal tract is studied. The resolution of imaging data is constantly being improved and 3D acquisition, tools for filtering, enhancement, segmentation and tissue classification are continually being developed. Additional co-registration techniques allow multimodal data acquisition with improved classification of tissue pathology. Furthermore, new functional imaging techniques have become available. Altogether, the future of gastrointestinal imaging looks very promising which will be of great benefit in clinical and research studies of gastrointestinal diseases. The purpose of this review is to highlight the capabilities of the newest techniques to explore the detailed morphology, biomechanical properties, function and pathology of the gastrointestinal tract.

Keywords: Computed tomography; Gastrointestinal tract; Imaging; Magnetic resonance; Radiology; Ultrasound