Clinical usefulness of KolomarkTM, a Korean radio-opaque marker for measuring colon transit time / 대한내과학회지

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Among various methods for measuring colon transit time, radio-opaque marker study is simple, reproducible and economical method. The commonly used marker, Sitzmarks (Konsyl Pharmaceuticals Inc. Texas) had limitation in its use due to expensiveness and difficulty in importation. We thought that the new domestic marker comparable to Sitzmarks is necessary and made a Kolomark (Korean colon marker)TM. The comparison of radio-opaqueness and the measurement of colon transit times by two markers were done. METHODS: In two 1000 ml beakers, 350 ml of rice-gruel, several chicken-bones and ten rings of Sitzmarks and KolomarkTM were mixed separately. Then, X-ray films of the two beakers were taken. The digital image file was analyzed by Image and the value of pixels were obtained. These were repeated five times. Colon transit times were measured in 60 healthy persons stratified by age, 30 by Sitzmarks and 30 by KolomarkTM. RESULTS: The mean value of pixel of KolomarkTM was much lower than that of Sitzmarks. The difference between background or beaker and KolomarkTM was much greater than that of Sitzmarks . There was no significant difference between colon transit time studied by Sitzmarks and KolomarkTM. CONCLUSION: KolomarkTM, a more radio-opaque and cheaper marker than Sitzmarks will be applied usefully for measuring colon transit time.