Use of MRI for Assessing Stomach Relaxation in Response to a Meal

Inclusion criteria

for Dyspeptic patients (30 required)

• One or more of eight postprandial dyspeptic symptoms i.e. fullness, bloating, epigastric discomfort, early satiety, nausea, vomiting, belching, pain for a minimum of 3 months, OR
• Patients fulfilling the ROME-II criteria for functional dyspepsia,
• AND no symptom improvement after standard dose PPI treatment,
• AND normal upper gastrointestinal endoscopy within six months prior to the study

Inclusion criteria

for Healthy Controls (20 required)

• Absence of current abdominal symptoms or depression

Exclusion criteria

for all Participants

• Known structural upper GI disorder (e.g. peptic ulcer disease, esophagitis, malignancy);
• Abdominal surgery other than appendectomy, cholecystectomy, hysterectomy, tubal ligation, or inguinal hernia repair;
• Medications that may alter gastrointestinal motility, e.g., serotoninergic agents, alpha adrenergic agonists, calcium channel or beta blockers; stable dose of thyroxine will be permitted;
• Pregnant or breast-feeding females;
• Known claustrophobia;
• Any metal objects in the body (e.g. metal implants, pacemaker, AICD)