A comparison between upper gastro-intestinal endoscopy and barium meal examination in private practice

In a series of approximately 1 300 oesophagogastroduodenoscopies performed between June 1972 and October 1978 there were 107 cases in which the upper gastro-intestinal endoscopy and barium meal had been performed within 14 days of one another (72% of these were performed within 7 days and 51,4% within 5 days). Comparison of the findings at endoscopy and barium meal examination in these 107 cases showed that endoscopy was diagnostically far superior. It was noted that, of 28 cases of oesophageal, gastric, duodenal and anastmotic ulcer and 12 cases of gastric and duodenal erosion diagnosed at endoscopy, only 14 ulcers and none of the erosions had been reported after barium examination. In addition, a large number of false-positive findings of gastric and duodenal ulcer had been reported after radiological examination.