title: Radionuclide esophageal transit in progressive systemic sclerosis.
abstract: Twenty-three patients with progressive systemic sclerosis (PSS) were studied by radionuclide esophageal transit (RT) and esophageal manometry. Twenty-two patients had abnormal manometry ranging from lower esophageal sphincter incompetence to aperistaltism. Of these 22 patients, twenty (91%) had abnormal RT with prolongation of transit time. A characteristic RT pattern showing stagnation of the radionuclide in the distal and middle segments of the esophagus was demonstrated in 82% of the patients with advanced sclerodermatous involvement of the esophagus. Fifteen of the 19 controls (79%) studied had a normal RT. Four showed prolongation of transit time without stagnation. We conclude that RT is a safe, noninvasive, highly sensitive method which might be used as an alternative to esophageal manometry. However, it may lack specificity.
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003951:Diagnostic Errors; D004947:Esophagus / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000503:physiopathology; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008365:Manometry; D008875:Middle Aged; D011877:Radionuclide Imaging; D012595:Scleroderma, Systemic / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000503:physiopathology