The radiological assessment of gastric acid output in chronic renal failure

The presence of hypertrophied gastric and duodenal mucosa as seen in the barium meal examination has been widely accepted as indicating an increase in gastric acid content. The present study of 31 uraemic patients undergoing maintenance haemodialysis suggests that in the uraemic patient this is not the case. Nineteen showed hypertrophy of the gastric mucosa radiologically but only eight had an abnormal pattern of gastric secretion. Of the 12 patients with a normal gastric and duodenal mucosal pattern, four showed an increase in the acid output of the stomach. It is concluded that the radiologist should beware of equating hypertrophy of the gastric and duodenal mucosa with a high gastric acid output in the chronically uraemic patient.