Twenty-six volunteers were recruited. The hand-held magnet was placed at strategic points on the body surface and rotated to hold and maneuver the capsule. The ability to view the upper GI tract landmarks was noted: esophagogastric junction (EGJ), cardia, fundus, body, incisura, antrum, and pylorus. Control was assessed by the ability to hold the capsule for 1 minute at 5 positions: the lower esophagus and 4 designated positions in the proximal and distal stomach and also traversing the stomach and through the pylorus. Volunteers subsequently underwent a standard gastroscopy.
The median data are as follows: age, 38 years (range 26-45 years); BMI, 24 (range 19–38); and procedure time, 24 minutes (range 12-39 minutes). Successful visualization of each landmark was EGJ, 92%; cardia, 88%; fundus, 96%; body, 100%; incisura, 96%; antrum, 96%; and pylorus, 100%; with fewer clear views of the EGJ and fundus. The capsule could be held in 88% of designated positions for 1 minute, moved from the fundus to the antrum in all cases, and traversed the pylorus in 50% (n = 13). An age of 40 years and older was associated with successful pyloric traversing (P = .04). There was positive concordance for 8 of 9 minor pathological findings on standard gastroscopy.
MACE in the upper GI tract is feasible. There is a high degree of visualization and control, with some improvement required for optimizing proximal gastric views and traversing the pylorus.