MiVu™ Reflux Testing (Mucosal Integrity Testing)
MiVu™ Mucosal Integrity Testing · Done During Your Upper Endoscopy (EGD) · Results During the Procedure
MiVu™ Reflux Testing in Port Charlotte, FL: Checking for GERD Without a Multi-Day Capsule
If you have heartburn, regurgitation or other symptoms that might be acid reflux (GERD), finding out for sure has often meant a Bravo™ wireless pH capsule clipped inside the esophagus and recording for 48 to 96 hours, or a thin tube through the nose for a day. Dr. Vincent L. Brown, MD now offers MiVu™ mucosal integrity testing from Diversatek Healthcare, a measurement of the health of your esophageal lining taken during your upper endoscopy (EGD).
The readings take a few minutes while you are already sedated, the results appear on screen during the procedure, and nothing is left behind in your esophagus.
Same Endoscopy
MiVu™ is done during your scheduled EGD, so there is no extra procedure, no extra sedation and no extra trip.
No Capsule Left Behind
A small single-use sensor cap on the tip of the scope touches the lining briefly. Nothing is attached to your esophagus afterward.
No Multi-Day Recording
No recorder to wear, no symptom diary and no device to return after 2 to 4 days.
Results During the Procedure
The system displays a color map of your esophageal lining within minutes, so Dr. Brown can review it with your endoscopy findings.
What is MiVu™ mucosal integrity testing?
The lining of a healthy esophagus is a tight barrier. Repeated exposure to reflux (and some other conditions, such as eosinophilic esophagitis, or EoE) loosens that barrier, which makes the tissue conduct a tiny electrical signal more easily. MiVu™ measures this property, called mucosal impedance or mucosal integrity, at several points along about 10 cm of the lower esophagus.
The measurement is made with a small, single-use sensor cap (the MiVu™ Endo Cap) fitted on the tip of the endoscope and connected to Diversatek’s testing system. The early research version used a thin balloon catheter passed through the scope; the current system uses the cap. Results appear as a color “contour map”: in published studies, reflux tended to lower the readings mostly near the bottom of the esophagus, EoE tended to lower them along the whole length, and a healthy lining kept higher readings throughout.
MiVu™ received FDA De Novo classification as a mucosal integrity testing system. It is a newer test: it measures how damaged the lining is, not acid itself, and its result is one piece of information Dr. Brown weighs with your symptoms, the endoscopy findings and any biopsies.
Who may benefit from MiVu™?
Dr. Brown may suggest MiVu™ testing during your EGD if you have:
- Heartburn or regurgitation (food or sour liquid coming back up) and it is not clear whether GERD is the cause
- Possible reflux-related symptoms such as chronic cough, hoarseness or chest discomfort (after heart causes have been checked)
- Symptoms that continue despite acid-reducing medicine (PPIs), where the question is whether reflux is really to blame
- Planning for anti-reflux or hiatal hernia surgery, where objective evidence of reflux is needed before an operation
Benefits compared with a 48–96 hour Bravo™ capsule
- Results during the same endoscopy rather than after several days of recording
- No capsule clipped to your esophagus and nothing to pass afterward
- No multi-day recorder or symptom diary to keep
- No extra procedure: it is added to the EGD you are already having
What to expect
Nothing to eat or drink after midnight (or as instructed), bring a list of your medicines, and arrange for an adult to drive you home. Our office will tell you which medicines to stop or continue before your procedure.
While you are sedated, Dr. Brown performs your EGD. With the sensor cap on the scope tip, four brief readings are taken a few centimeters apart in the lower esophagus. The results display on screen within minutes.
You recover from sedation as you would after any EGD; a mild sore throat is common. Because sedation can affect memory, Dr. Brown will go over the results and next steps with you at follow-up.
Long-standing reflux and Barrett’s esophagus
Years of reflux can sometimes change the lining of the lower esophagus, a condition called Barrett’s esophagus. If your EGD shows Barrett’s, biopsies are taken and Dr. Brown will explain the surveillance plan, including whether the TissueCypher® Barrett’s Esophagus Test could help personalize it.
Frequently asked questions about MiVu™
Is MiVu a separate procedure?
No. MiVu is done during your upper endoscopy (EGD) while you are already sedated. A small single-use sensor cap on the tip of the endoscope takes a few readings of the esophageal lining, so there is no second appointment and nothing is left in your body.
Does MiVu replace the Bravo pH capsule?
Sometimes, but not always. MiVu measures the health of the esophageal lining; it does not measure acid directly. Dr. Brown reviews your MiVu result together with your symptoms and the endoscopy findings, and in some cases, such as unclear results or planning for anti-reflux surgery, Bravo or catheter-based pH monitoring, esophageal manometry or other testing may still be recommended.
Will I feel the MiVu test?
MiVu is performed while you are sedated for your EGD, so most people do not notice it. Afterward, recovery is the same as for a routine EGD.
Do I need any special preparation?
Preparation is the same as for your EGD: nothing to eat or drink after midnight (or as instructed), a list of your medicines for the care team, and a driver to take you home after sedation. Our office will tell you which medicines to stop or continue before your procedure.
Is MiVu covered by insurance?
Coverage varies. Some insurers cover mucosal integrity testing and some consider it investigational. Our office can check your plan before your procedure, and you can also ask your insurance company directly.
Can MiVu tell GERD apart from other conditions?
MiVu shows a color map of the lining. In published studies, reflux damage tended to be worst near the bottom of the esophagus, while eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE) tended to affect the whole length. The result is one piece of information Dr. Brown uses with your symptoms, endoscopy findings and any biopsies.
Questions about reflux testing?
Call our Port Charlotte office at (941) 391-5102 to ask whether MiVu™ testing makes sense with your upper endoscopy.
Sources
- Diversatek Healthcare: MiVu™ Mucosal Integrity Testing System
- Diversatek Healthcare: commercial release of MiVu™ (FDA De Novo classification)
- Patel DA, et al. Development and validation of a mucosal impedance contour analysis system to distinguish esophageal disorders. Gastroenterology 2019;156:1617–1626
- Ates F, et al. Mucosal impedance discriminates GERD from non-GERD conditions. Gastroenterology 2015;148:334–343
- ACG Clinical Guideline: Diagnosis and Management of GERD (2022)
MiVu™, PriZm® and Zvu® are trademarks of Diversatek Healthcare. Bravo™ is a trademark of Medtronic. This page is general information, not medical advice; no test or result can be guaranteed.
Schedule a consultation with Dr. Brown
Call Charlotte Harbor Surgical in Port Charlotte. Mon–Thu 7:30 am–4:00 pm, Fri 7:30 am–12:00 noon.