Research Project
2150184
Intestinal ischemia is difficult to diagnose and usually fatal. By the time signs of peritonitis, acidosis and shock appear, survival is rare. The mortality rate of bowel infarction remains at about 90% today despite improvements in surgical technique and supportive care. The key to reducing this mortality rate is early and accurate diagnosis, preferably by a simple non-invasive procedure that could be used in the emergency room. Recent animal studies have shown that the intestinal tract is highly sensitive to arterial blood supply. The changes in magnetic activity that result from ischemia happen within minutes and are quite large. Preliminary measurements have also been made to show the feasibility of measuring the biomagnetic signal from human intestines. The signals are large and can be easily measured using a high sensitivity superconducting magnetometer. We propose to develop the instrument and measurement protocols necessary to turn this interesting phenomenon into a clinically useful technique. If successful, it will provide a rapid diagnosis of intestinal ischemia and other intestinal disorders which strongly affect the normal biomagnetic signals.
