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• Review •
Imaging evaluation of functional constipation based on multimodal magnetic resonance imaging: from pathophysiological mechanisms to diagnosis and treatment
CHEN Chuci  LI Yikun  GUO Xiutian  LI Peng 

Cite this article as: CHEN C C, LI Y K, GUO X T, et al. Imaging evaluation of functional constipation based on multimodal magnetic resonance imaging: from pathophysiological mechanisms to diagnosis and treatment[J]. Chin J Magn Reson Imaging, 2026, 17(4): 199-205, 225. DOI:10.12015/issn.1674-8034.2026.04.028.


[Abstract] Functional constipation (FC) is a common clinical gastrointestinal disorder with an increasing incidence rate that significantly impacts patients' quality of life. Its clinical diagnosis has long relied on the Rome criteria, which suffer from limitations such as high subjectivity. As a highly heterogeneous disease, FC involves complex underlying pathophysiological mechanisms. Traditional empirical treatments often yield poor efficacy due to a lack of understanding of these mechanisms. Multimodal magnetic resonance imaging, as a radiation-free, high-resolution integrated imaging technology, holds irreplaceable value in elucidating the pathophysiological mechanisms, classification, and diagnosis/treatment of FC. This review summarizes the imaging manifestations of different FC mechanisms from the perspectives of dynamic magnetic resonance imaging and functional magnetic resonance imaging. It integrates imaging assessment results to establish a quantitative framework, analyzes current research limitations and potential future directions, aiming to provide references for clinical practice, precise evaluation, and personalized diagnosis and treatment.
[Keywords] functional constipation；magnetic resonance imaging；multimodal imaging；dynamic magnetic resonance imaging；functional magnetic resonance imaging

CHEN Chuci   LI Yikun   GUO Xiutian*   LI Peng  

Shanghai Municipal Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai 200071, China

Corresponding author: GUO X T, E-mail: guoxiutian@126.com

Conflicts of interest   None.

Received  2026-01-13
Accepted  2026-03-15
DOI: 10.12015/issn.1674-8034.2026.04.028
Cite this article as: CHEN C C, LI Y K, GUO X T, et al. Imaging evaluation of functional constipation based on multimodal magnetic resonance imaging: from pathophysiological mechanisms to diagnosis and treatment[J]. Chin J Magn Reson Imaging, 2026, 17(4): 199-205, 225. DOI:10.12015/issn.1674-8034.2026.04.028.

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