Magnetic Resonance Imaging in Paediatric Constipation (MAGIC2)

Constipation in children is a common problem. Managing these children is difficult, partly because they do not respond to laxatives and partly because their bowel problem cannot be defined. A "gut transit time" test can add information to help choose the best therapy but this is often not carried out because of the unsuitable radiation dose involved in the current methods such as X-ray. A new Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) method to measure gut transit time using inert mini-capsules, the size of small pine nuts, has recently been developed and successfully trialled during a feasibility study. This main multicentre study will trial the mini-capsules in 436 paediatric constipation patients.