[Is an esophageal transit scintigram necessary in patients with gastroesophageal reflux?]

Efficient esophageal clearance has an important defence role in the pathogenesis of the gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). Many GERD patients have esophageal disturbances associated with or secondary to reflux, producing delayed clearance. This delay exposes the esophageal mucosa to the reflux acid content. To determine esophageal transit we scanned the esophageal transit of a 15 ml bolus containing colloidal 300/cCi 99m Tc. The esophageal transit was calculated in seconds according to formula E.T. = T 1/2 x 5. The study included 74 GERD patients. The following investigations were carried out in all the cases: esophageal X-ray, GER scintigram, endoscopy, esophageal biopsy, Bernstein test and esophageal transit scintigram. Endoscopy revealed lesions of the esophagus (of 1st, 2nd and 3rd degree) in 39 patients, Barrett syndrome in 8 cases and normal in 27. Esophageal transit scanning was normal in 18 cases (24%), and prolonged in 56 cases (76%). Only 7 (39%) of the 18 patients with a normal transit presented lesions of the mucosa, the latter being more frequent in patients with a prolonged transit, i.e. 40 of 56 patients (71.5%). The mean value of the transit in different degrees of esophagitis (I, II, III) and Barrett syndrome were: 12.73 +/- 5.36; 13.30 +/- 7.90; 10.35 +/- 5.78; 17.25 +/- 11.17. In conclusion esophageal transit scanning is a useful test in GERD patients as it has a prognostic value. A prolonged esophageal transit is frequently associated with lesions, the more severe the slower is the transit. Moreover the test may indicate certain drugs acting upon the esophageal motor disturbances.