Non-invasive detection of gastric myoelectrical activity: Comparison between results of magnetogastrography and electrogastrography in normal subjects

Gastric myoelectrical activity is the basis for gastric motility, which has been extensively studied with invasive techniques (manometry, endoscopy and intraluminal electrical recordings). Cutaneous electrogastrography (EGG) has shown to be the only non-invasive methodology so far. We present a non-invasive method, named magnetogastrography (MGG), in which any contact with the subject is avoided. It is based on the detection of the magnetic field associated with biological electrical currents and its variations in time. Fifteen volunteers partecipated to the study, and we compare the performances of MGG with those of cutaneous EGG in the recording of the gastric basic rhythm and its variations during the different cyclic phases. Qualitative and quantitative analyses on four parameters chosen to characterise the gastric cycle suggest that MGG might present some advantages with respect to surface EGG in terms of data acquisition and analysis as well as result interpretation.