Double-contrast gastrography of the fundus and cardia: normal landmarks and their pathologic changes

The normal radiographic landmarks of the gastric fundus are the macromucosal (rugal) pattern, the micromucosal (areae gastricae) pattern, and the esophageal rosette. In a comparison of 100 normal double-contrast and conventional barium examinations, the landmarks were most consistently and reliably demonstrated by double-contrast technique. In a group of 36 patients with various types of fundal pathology, double-contrast gastrography demonstrated distinctive changes in these landmarks and led to reliable diagnoses in the majority of patients. Double-contrast gastrography is considered the preferred method for examining patients with suspected abnormalities of the fundus or cardia.