COMPARATIVE FEATURES OF DOUBLE-CONTRAST BARIUM STUDIES IN PATIENTS WITH ISOSPORIASIS AND STRONGYLOIDIASIS

Objective: To compare the gastrointestinal features of isosporiasis an d strongyloidiasis. Methods: Two patients with isosporiasis and three patients with strongyloidiasis were assessed by double-contrast radiog raphy of the duodenum and small intestine, with reference to histology of the duodenal biopsy specimens. Results: Both conditions affected t he duodenum and the proximal jejunum, and showed similar radiographic changes as the diseases progressed. Thus, three patients with diarrhoe a lasting 1 year or less showed only minimal or irregularly thickened mucosal folds, which seemed to result from mucosal inflammation. Two p atients with long-standing disease periods (17 years and 30 years) pre sented a markedly granular mucosal appearance with effacement of the f olds on radiography. These chronological differences in the radiograph ic features seemed to reflect the degree of villous atrophy. Conclusio n: Isosporiasis has similar radiographic features of strongyloidiasis.