ULTRASOUND OF THE GASTROESOPHAGEAL JUNCTION

In 560 endoscopy examinations performed on infants with severe vomitin g, no esophagitis was found without endoscopic herniation of the gastr oesophageal junction. The length of the abdominal esophagus therefore appears fundamental in reflux studies. Sonography is one of few techni ques able to define the abdominal esophagus in vivo, both in terms of its anatomy and as a functional structure. Accurate assessment of the sonographic canal requires careful measurement under strictly defined clinical conditions. Using such criteria, ultrasound has a better sens itivity than barium studies in detecting small herniations. In additio n to the important length measurements of the abdominal esophagus, oth er morphological and functional data can also be acquired by ultrasoun d.