This study was undertaken to explore if strain of the muscle layers within the gastric wall could be measured by transabdominal strain rate imaging (SRI), a novel Doppler ultrasound (US) method. A total of 9 healthy fasting subjects (8 women, 1 man; ages 22 to 55 years) were studied and both grey-scale and Doppler US data were acquired with a 5- to 8-MHz linear transducer in cineloops of 97 to 256 frames. Rapid stepwise inflation (5 to 60 mL) of an intragastric bag was carried out and bag pressure and SRI were measured simultaneously. SRI enabled detailed studies of layers within the gastric wall in all subjects. Great variations in strain distribution of the muscle layers were found. Radial strain was much higher in the circular than in the longitudinal muscle layer. Strains derived from SRI correlated well with strains obtained with B-mode measurements (r = 0.98, p < 0.05). During balloon distension, we found an inverse correlation between pressure and radial strain (r = -0.87, p < 0.05). Intraobserver correlation of strain estimation was r = 0.98 (p < 0.05) and intraobserver agreement was 0.2% +/- 18.6% (mean difference +/- 2SD, % strain). Interobserver correlation was r = 0.84 (p < 0.05) and interobserver agreement was 6.9% +/- 56.8%. SRI enables detailed mapping of radial strain distribution of the gastric wall and correlates well with B-mode measurements and pressure increments.