Phosphorus-31 (31P) nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopic investigations of the rat stomach were performed utilizing a 1-cm2, three-turn, zig-zag coil. A zig-zag coil of this dimension produced an effective B1 field that extends only within a 4-mm distance from the plane of the surface coil, rendering it possible to obtain high-resolution 31P spectra localized to the stomach without contamination from surrounding tissues. Normal stomach showed a characteristic spectral pattern with resonances reflecting inorganic phosphate (Pi), phosphocreatine (PCr), and the alpha-, beta-, and gamma-phosphates of adenosine triphosphate (ATP). Ischemia-induced changes in Pi, PCr, and ATP resonances were readily followed in vivo with a time resolution of 2.13 min. Indomethacin-induced ulcer revealed a low intracellular pH and a decrease in the PCr to Pi ratio indicating the partially ischemic conditions of ulcerative lesions of the stomach as has been previously suggested. The present studies indicate that 31P NMR spectroscopy utilizing a zig-zag coil is a powerful tool to study local pathology of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. Since zig-zag coils suitable for fiberscopic devices are easily constructed, clinical applications of the present technique are apparent.