The infant with chronic vomiting: the value of the upper GI series.
BACKGROUND
Vomiting is very common in infants. It is usually attributed to gastroesophageal reflux and no radiological evaluation is performed. Pediatric radiologists, however, still perform many upper GI series in these infants to exclude an underlying anatomic abnormality as a cause for vomiting.


OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the yield of upper GI series in the evaluation of otherwise healthy infants 1 month to 1 year of age with vomiting for more than 30 consecutive days.


METHODS
Clinical records and upper GI reports of 344 otherwise healthy infants that were referred for UGI by pediatric gastroenterologists because of chronic vomiting were analyzed. Patients with hematemesis, bilious vomiting, dysphagia, respiratory symptoms and patients that required hospitalization were excluded.


RESULTS
Findings other than gastroesophageal reflux were seen in only 2 patients out of 344 (0.6%). In one patient duodenal stenosis was diagnosed. In another patient a small hiatal hernia was seen.


CONCLUSIONS
The yield of upper GI in otherwise healthy infants 1 month to 1 year of age with chronic vomiting is extremely low, and the performance of the UGI in this specific group of patients may not be justified.
Simanovsky
Natalia
N
Department of Radiology, Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, 300 Longwood Ave, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
Buonomo
Carlo
C
Nurko
Samuel
S
D002908:Chronic Disease; D004947:Esophagus / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D005764:Gastroesophageal Reflux / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D006551:Hernia, Hiatal / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D011859:Radiography; D013270:Stomach / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D014839:Vomiting / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*