Diagnosing intestinal ischemia using a noncontact superconducting quantum interference device.

Intestinal ischemia is associated with changes of the basic electric rhythm (BER) of the small intestine. We hypothesized that these changes can be measured noninvasively using a superconducting quantum interference device (SQUID). After general anesthesia, a laparotomy was performed on 10 animals and the jejunum was placed in a nonmagnetic recording chamber containing Krebs' solution at 38 degrees C. Five animals had electrodes placed while five others were placed under the SQUID. Injection of thrombin into the mesenteric artery decreased blood flow (measured with a laser doppler flow-meter) 95% within 5 minutes. SQUID measurements showed significant decreases (P < 0.01 for all changes) in the frequency (15.5 +/- 0.3 to 8.9 +/- 0.2 cycles/min) and the propagation velocity of slow waves (3.5 +/- 0.2 to 1.9 +/- 0.3 sec). The changes in intestinal biomagnetic activity after ischemia were similar to the changes in electrical activity. The SQUID magnetometer is a reliable noncontact device that can detect early intestinal ischemia in animal models. We have recently recorded human small bowel biomagnetic activity using a SQUID magnetometer and believe further technical developments will permit the noninvasive diagnosis of mesenteric ischemia.