[Diagnostic importance of dynamic computerized esophageal scintigraphy]

In healthy persons the mean time of the passage of water through the esophagus was 3.75 +/- 0.12 s, that of 10% test meal 6.15 +/- 0.34 s. The average rates of the passage of water and test meals were 5.35 +/- 0.25 cm/s and 3.25 +/- 0.62 cm/s, respectively. In postburn cicatricial esophageal stenosis the time of the passage of water ranged within 5-9 s depending on a degree of stenosis, that of the test meal within 12-20 s, and the rates of their passage were 2-4 cm/s and 1-1.7 cm/s, respectively. While in some cases complete esophageal obstruction was shown by x-ray, scintigraphy revealed the presence of a lumen of the esophagus.