Feature tracking-based motility analysis of excised intestinal tissue using video recordings

This study presents a novel feature-based tracking method for quantifying intestinal motility using video recordings of excised intestinal tissue samples. Tissue motions were analyzed by tracking distinctive features between frames, enabling precise quantification of contractile activity. A density-based clustering approach was used to analyze regional motility characteristics. Motility metrics, including dominant frequency, amplitude, and coordination (i.e., the proportion of the tissue region contracting at the dominant frequency), were extracted. Results showed regional variations in motility characteristics. The overall weighted frequency of the tissues was in the range of 0.13-0.17 Hz (7.8-10.2 cycles per minute). The contraction amplitude had a larger variation compared to the frequency with a range of 19.4-40.4 pixels. The tissue coordination was between 12% to 34%, indicating heterogeneity within the field-of-view. The estimates of tissue motion from feature tracking showed high correlation (0.71-0.89) with direct measurements of tissue wall movement, validating the accuracy of the proposed method. Future work will apply the method to larger cohorts and animal models with different pathophysiological conditions.Clinical Relevance - This approach provides a robust tool for assessing gut motility dynamics, which could be valuable for future investigations into the pathophysiology of functional gastrointestinal disorders and therapeutic interventions.