MRI-guided percutaneous transhepatic cholangiodrainage: feasibility study in a porcine model.

Background And Study Aims: MRI-guided procedures combine high-quality imaging with lack of radiation. Percutaneous transhepatic cholangiodrainage under real-time MRI guidance (MRI-PTCD) seems promising, allowing targeted puncture and avoiding multiple blind passes and use of contrast, which are associated with standard PTCD's heaviest complications.

Patients And Methods: Aim of this study was to investigate the feasibility of MRI-PTCD in three outbred piglets.

Percutaneous transhepatic cholangiodrainage under real-time MRI guidance: initial experience in an animal model.

Aims: To assess percutaneous transhepatic cholangiodrainage (PTCD) under real-time MRI-guidance and compare it to procedures performed under fluoroscopy.

Methods: We developed an in vitro model for MRI-guided and conventional PTCD, using an animal organ set including liver and bile ducts placed in an MRI-compatible box and tested it in a 1.0-Tesla open MRI-scanner.

Peripheral injection of CCK-8S induces Fos expression in the dorsomedial hypothalamic nucleus in rats.

Peripheral cholecystokinin (CCK) plays a physiological role in the regulation of food intake. The dorsomedial hypothalamic nucleus (DMH) has been implicated in the brain regulation of food intake and satiety. The aim of this study was to determine if peripherally administered CCK affects neuronal activity in the DMH, as assessed by Fos expression.

The effect of macronutrients on gastric volume responses and gastric emptying in humans: A magnetic resonance imaging study.

The effects of macronutrients on gastric volume changes, emptying, and gastrointestinal symptoms are incompletely understood. Three liquid meals of 500 ml (fat emulsion, 375 kcal; protein solution, 375 kcal; glucose solution, 400 kcal) were infused into the stomach of 12 healthy volunteers on three occasions. Studies were performed in seated body position using an open-configuration magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system.

Gastric electrical stimulation in gastroparesis: where do we stand?

Gastroparesis is a chronic disabling condition of impaired gastric motility that results in decreased quality of life. Currently available medical therapy consists of prokinetic and/or antiemetic therapy, dietary modifications, and nutritional supplementation. For patients with medication-resistant gastroparesis a non-pharmacological therapy, gastric electric stimulation, has evolved over the last decade.

Bombesin, but not amylin, blocks the orexigenic effect of peripheral ghrelin.

The interaction between ghrelin and bombesin or amylin administered intraperitoneally on food intake and brain neuronal activity was assessed by Fos-like immunoreactivity (FLI) in nonfasted rats. Ghrelin (13 microg/kg ip) increased food intake compared with the vehicle group when measured at 30 min (g/kg: 3.66 +/- 0.

Cerebral processing of auditory stimuli in patients with irritable bowel syndrome.

Aim: To determine by brain functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) whether cerebral processing of non-visceral stimuli is altered in irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) patients compared with healthy subjects. To circumvent spinal viscerosomatic convergence mechanisms, we used auditory stimulation, and to identify a possible influence of psychological factors the stimuli differed in their emotional quality.

Methods: In 8 IBS patients and 8 controls, fMRI measurements were performed using a block design of 4 auditory stimuli of different emotional quality (pleasant sounds of chimes, unpleasant peep (2000 Hz), neutral words, and emotional words).

Megacolon in adulthood after surgical treatment of Hirschsprung's disease in early childhood.

Hirschsprung's disease (HD) is a disorder associated with congenital malformation of the enteric nervous system with segmental aganglionosis. Prevailing therapy includes a resection of the affected part of the bowel. However, patients often do not obtain complete functional improvement after surgical treatment.

Gastric perception thresholds are low and sensory neuropeptide levels high in helicobacter pylori-positive functional dyspepsia.

Background And Aims: In functional dyspepsia (FD) decreased perception levels can be shown on gastric distension. Substance P (SP) and calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) are involved in the sensitization of afferent neuronal pathways due to chronic inflammation. The role of Helicobacter pylori-induced gastric mucosal inflammation in the pathogenesis of FD is controversial.

CCK inhibits the orexigenic effect of peripheral ghrelin.

CCK and ghrelin exert antagonistic effects on ingestive behavior. The aim of the present study was to investigate the interaction between ghrelin and CCK administered peripherally on food intake and neuronal activity in specific hypothalamic and brain stem nuclei, as assessed by c-Fos-like immunoreactivity (c-FLI) in nonfasted rats. Ghrelin (13 microg/kg body wt) injected intraperitoneally significantly increased the cumulative food intake when measured at 30 min and 1 h after injection, compared with the vehicle group (2.

Expression and functional role of serine/threonine phosphatases in rat esophagus.

Background: Smooth muscle contraction is due to phosphorylation, while relaxation results from dephosphorylation of regulatory proteins such as the light chains of myosin (MLC20). Dephosphorylation of MLC20 is catalyzed by protein phosphatases (PP) types 1 and 2A. While some data are available on the expression and functional importance of PP1 and PP2A in vascular smooth muscle preparations, little is known of the importance of PP for force regulation in the gastrointestinal tract.