SCINTIGRAPHIC EVALUATION OF ESOPHAGEAL MOTOR DISORDERS

Esophageal cinescintiscan following the ingestion of the technetium solution is designed to evaluate motility disorders of the esophagus. Three areas of interest, corresponding to the upper, middle and lower thirds of the esophagus are traced on the cumulative image of the sequential study (60 frame of 0.5 second). For each area a time-activity curve is plotted. One scan thus calculate the eesophageal transit time (ETT) defined as the difference between the time of the highest peak for the upper area and the time of 10% residual activity for the lower area. Its ranges between 5,8 and 7,8 seconds. Regardless of the type of disorder of esophageal motility, the result of the ETT is univocal: it is lengthened, 3 to 10 times, and the time-activity profile is altered. Even though sensible, but non specific, this simple, physiological, safe and non invasive technique is useful for evaluating all kinds of non-obstructive esophageal disorders, as well as in the follow-up of medical therapy or surgery of the esophagus.