[Diagnostic strategies of the esophagus]

The oesophagus has a limited repertoire of symptoms but most of them are highly specific. Thus oesophageal disorders may often be diagnosed quite accurately on the sole basis of the patients clinical history. Nevertheless this preliminary diagnosis has to be verified or rejected by scientific methods. Particularly patients with the symptom "dysphagia" require a careful clinical workup to confirm or exclude malignancy. An exact knowledge of the reliability of all diagnostic methods leads to a rational diagnostic strategy, including preoperative investigations if surgery is required.