Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 29, 2025
Gastrointestinal Motility Monitor GIMM
Published on: December 1, 2010
The Assessment of Gastrointestinal Transit by the Atmo Capsule: A Comparison With the SmartPill Capsule
Braden Kuo1, Allen A Lee2, Thomas Abell3
1Center for Neurointestinal Health, Gastroenterology Unit, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts.
Background & Aims:
Wireless motility capsules (WMCs) can be used to assess gastrointestinal transit time to facilitate diagnosis and treatment of motility disorders. The Atmo Capsule is a novel WMC that measures gases (H2, CO2, O2) and temperature. We aimed to compare and evaluate the performance characteristics of the Atmo Capsule and the SmartPill Capsule (discontinued reference standard WMC) for measurement of gastric emptying time (GET) and colonic transit time (CTT) in patients with confirmed or suspected disordered gastrointestinal transit.
Methods:
Patients with symptoms indicative of an upper and/or lower gastrointestinal motility disorder ingested the 2 WMCs in a random order. Gastrointestinal transit times were assessed using Spearman correlation and Bland-Altman analysis. Device agreement was assessed for delayed GET (≥5 hours) and CTT (≥59 hours).
Results:
There were 213 participants from 12 sites, yielding 177 paired GET and 147 paired CTT measurements. The measurements for GET and CTT with the Atmo Capsule and SmartPill Capsule were strongly correlated (GET, R = 0.74, P < .01; CTT, R = 0.69, P < .01), and their observed biases were within 10% of the delayed transit margin. Both delayed GET (68/177) and CTT (56/147) were identified in 38% of participants, with 84% agreement for identification of both delayed GET (sensitivity 68%, specificity 91%) and CTT (sensitivity 83%, specificity 85%). No serious adverse device effects were reported.
Conclusions:
The performance characteristics of the Atmo Capsule for measurements of GET and CTT were equivalent to the reference standard WMC with a strong correlation and good device agreement. These results demonstrate that the Atmo Capsule is a valid method for evaluating gastrointestinal transit.
Clinicaltrials:
gov number, NCT05718505.
Related Concept Videos
01:26Imaging Studies III: Gastrointestinal Motility Studies and Virtual Colonoscopy
Radionuclide Testing
Radionuclide testing is a sophisticated medical technique for assessing gastrointestinal motility. It focuses on gastric emptying and colonic transit time. Radioactive markers track the movement of food through the digestive system, providing insights into gastrointestinal disorders.
In gastric emptying studies, a meal's liquid and...
01:28Endoscopic Procedures III: Video Capsule Endoscopy
01:09Methods for Studying Drug Absorption: In situ
The Doluisio method involves perfusing a prepared segment of a rat's small intestine with a solution of radiolabeled drug and a non-absorbable marker. This helps to differentiate between absorbed and non-absorbed drug concentrations. The intestinal segment is connected at both ends using tubing and syringes,...
01:02Noncompartmental Analysis: Mean Transit, Absorption and Dissolution Time
One of the key parameters is the mean transit time (MTT), which refers to the total duration required for drug molecules to transit through the body. MTT is determined by calculating the ratio of the area under the moment curve to the area...
01:16Methods for Studying Drug Absorption: In vitro
The diffusion cell method uses a two-compartment cell, including a donor compartment with the drug solution, which simulates the environment where the drug is applied, and a receptor compartment with a buffer solution, which simulates the environment...
01:23Drugs Affecting GI Tract Motility: Serotonin Receptor Agonists