Diagnosis of Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD)

Is there a role for dynamic swallowing MRI in the assessment of gastroesophageal reflux disease and oesophageal motility disorders?

OBJECTIVES

To evaluate the diagnostic value of dynamic MRI swallowing in patients with symptoms of Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD).

METHODS

Thirty-seven patients (17 m/20f) with typical signs of GERD underwent MR swallowing in the supine position at 1.5 T with a phased-array body coil. Using dynamic, gradient echo sequences (B-FFE) in the coronal, sagittal and axial planes, the bolus passages of buttermilk spiked with gadolinium chelate were tracked. MRI, pH-metry and manometry were performed within 31 days and results were compared.

RESULTS

MRI results were concordant with pH-metry in 82% (23/28) of patients diagnosed with abnormal oesophageal acid exposure by pH-metry. Five patients demonstrated typical symptoms of GERD and had positive findings with pH monitoring, but false negative results with MRI. In four of six patients (67%), there was a correct diagnosis of oesophageal motility disorder, according to manometric criteria, on dynamic MRI. The overall accuracy of MRI diagnoses was 79% (27/34). A statistically significant difference was found between the size of hiatal hernia, grade of reflux in MRI, and abnormal acid exposure on pH-monitoring.

CONCLUSIONS

MR fluoroscopy may be a promising radiation-free tool in assessing the functionality and morphology of the GE junction.

KEY POINTS

• Swallowing MRI can assess anatomy and function of the gastroesophageal-junction • Swallowing MRI can help identifying reflux and motility disorders • Definition of the size of hiatal hernias is possible in all three planes in MR. • Short duration of swallowing MRI enables its application in routine clinical practice.

High-resolution manometry

Recently, high-resolution oesophageal manometry was added to the armamentarium of researchers and gastroenterologists. Current studies suggest that the yield of high-resolution oesophageal manometry is higher than that of conventional pull-through manometry and is at least comparable to that of sleeve sensor manometry. Probably the most important advantage of solid-state high-resolution manometry is that it makes oesophageal manometry faster and easier to perform. Topographic plotting of high-resolution manometry signals facilitates their interpretation. It is concluded that high-resolution manometry is a promising technique for the evaluation of oesophageal motor function. Further studies will have to determine whether high-resolution manometry is superior to conventional manometry in the diagnostic work-up of patients with oesophageal symptoms.

Chylous cyst formation following laparoscopic fundoplication

Formation of an abdominal chylous cyst is a rare event, predominantly occurring after spinal, vascular or urologic retroperitoneal surgery. As far as we know, the presented case is the first report in the literature of chylous cyst formation after laparoscopic fundoplication. A 57-year-old man with a history of a conservatively treated spinal compression fracture (T11/12) underwent laparoscopic fundoplication in 1996 for recurrent heartburn with insufficient response to treatment with PPI. His reflux symptoms disappeared but over the following years he developed intermittent abdominal pain in the right upper quadrant. Gastroscopy in 2002 revealed a slight compression of the distal esophagus. CT scan revealed a cystic formation next to the distal esophagus which was initially interpreted to be part of the fundoplicate itself. Aggravation of symptoms and weight loss was noted in 2006. A further CT scan revealed a 7 cm cyst along the fundoplicate and the lesser curvature of the stomach. The cyst was subsequently drained laparoscopically. Cholesterol (351 mg/d), LDL-cholesterol (263 mg/dl), triglycerides (334 mg/dl) and chylomicrons led to the diagnosis chylous cyst and the patient was put on a medium-chain triglyceride diet. After 12 weeks the discharge stopped and the drain was removed. The patient remained symptom-free for seven months but then presented again with the same complaints. This time an even larger cyst was diagnosed, extending from the lesser curvature of the stomach through the esophageal hiatus up to the right atrium. A Roux-en-Y chylous cystojejunostomy was then performed and has solved the problem up to the present. A chylous cyst may develop after laparoscopic fundoplication. If simple drainage fails, a cystojejunostomy can solve this problem.

Videoendoscopy and histopathology of the esophagogastric junction in patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

During endoscopy the stomach is considered to rise at the level of the 'gastric' folds; however, anatomical studies have demonstrated that the proximal gastric folds may in fact be esophageal. This prospective study was designed to assess the histopathology of endoscopically visible proximal gastric folds in patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease.

METHODS

35 consecutive patients (20 males) with gastroesophageal reflux disease underwent video endoscopy, including biopsy sampling from the endoscopically visible esophagogastric junction (0 cm, 0.5 cm and 1.0 cm distal to the rise of gastric folds and 0.5 cm and 1.0 cm proximal to it). Endoscopy was digitally recorded and reviewed for assignment of biopsy level. Columnar-lined esophagus and esophagitis were cataloged according to the Paull-Chandrasoma histopathologic classification and the Los Angeles endoscopic classification.

RESULTS

Endoscopy: Normal endoscopic esophagogastric junction was seen in 11 (31%) patients and visible columnar-lined esophagus < or = 0.5 cm in 24 (69%).

HISTOLOGY

Columnar-lined esophagus extended 1.0 cm in 22.8% of patients and 0.5 cm in 51.4%, distal to the rise of the gastric folds. In all patients columnar-lined esophagus was interposed between squamous epithelium and gastric oxyntic mucosa. Thus, so-called gastric folds contained mucosa of esophageal origin in all patients. Intestinal metaplasia (Barrett esophagus) was detected in eight (22.9%) patients.

CONCLUSIONS

Endoscopy cannot exclude histopathologic columnar-lined esophagus within gastric rugae. Thus, visible 'gastric' folds should not be used for definition of the esophagogastric junction but as a reference landmark for biopsy sampling during endoscopy.