Is there a fast track (“Darmstrasse”) for fluids in the small intestine? Evidence from magnetic resonance imaging

The transit and distribution pattern of fluids in the small intestine is a key parameter for the dissolution and absorption of drugs. Although some information is known about the small intestinal water content after administration of fluid volumes and meals, the intestinal transit of orally ingested fluids and solutions has been barely investigated. The aim of this three-arm, cross-over, 9-subject human study was to investigate the transit of orally ingested water in the small intestine under fasting and postprandial conditions using MRI. To identify the ingested water, manganese gluconate, which can be identified with T1-weighted MRI sequences, was added as a marker. Using Horos (DICOM software), quantification of the distribution of Mn