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Double contrast upper gastrointestinal barium examination with biopsy versus endoscopy with biopsy in dyspeptic
G N Bender1, T Peller, A Tsuchida
1Department of Radiology, Madigan Army Medical Center, Fort Lewis, Tacoma, Washington 98431-5000, USA.
Rationale And Objectives:
The financial restrictions of the managed care environment require reconsideration of the barium upper gastrointestinal examination as a diagnostic tool for gastritis patients. However, a greater sensitivity and specificity for gastritis is needed. A prospective study was performed comparing barium examinations with gastric biopsies to endoscopy with biopsy.
Methods:
Forty adult patients underwent upper gastrointestinal barium examination with gastric biopsies obtained under fluoroscopy through a nasogastric tube. Twenty-seven patients gave consent for subsequent endoscopy with biopsy. Both sets of biopsies were compared, as were the interpretations of the radiographs and visual appearances.
Results:
For barium examinations with gastric biopsies, sensitivity for gastritis was 94% and specificity was 100%, using endoscopic biopsies as the gold standard.
Conclusions:
In addition to endoscopy with biopsy, the upper gastrointestinal barium examination with biopsy is another option of sufficient sensitivity and specificity for consideration by clinicians in their workup of patients with gastritis.