Yield of neck CT and barium esophagram in patients with globus sensation.
OBJECTIVE
Globus sensation is common and difficult to treat. The purpose of our study was to compare the diagnostic and therapeutic efficacy of barium esophagram and neck CT in patients with isolated globus sensation, to determine which of these modalities should be preferred in the evaluation of this condition.


METHODS
We retrospectively identified patients presenting with isolated globus sensation from January 1, 2005, to December 31, 2012, who underwent neck CT or barium esophagram. We calculated the proportion of patients with abnormal findings, tabulated the nature of the abnormality, and reviewed the medical records to determine whether imaging changed management.


RESULTS
One hundred forty-eight neck CTs and 104 barium esophagrams were included. Five (3.4%) patients with neck CTs and 4 (3.9%) with barium esophagrams demonstrated significant findings related to the history of globus sensation. Of these, 1 (0.7%) neck CT and 1 (1.0%) barium esophagram resulted in a change in clinical management.


CONCLUSIONS
Imaging evaluation of the patient with uncomplicated globus sensation is unlikely to identify clinically significant imaging findings and is very unlikely to result in a change in clinical management, with a combined therapeutic efficacy of 0.8%. Thus, the routine use of imaging in the evaluation of patients with globus sensation cannot be recommended.
From the Departments of Radiology (L.A., S.-h.S., B.F.B., S.F.).
L
L
Alhilali
S-h
SH
Seo
B F
BF
Branstetter
S
S
Fakhran
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001466:Barium Sulfate; D003287:Contrast Media; D004935:Esophageal Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D004947:Esophagus / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009333:Neck / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012678:Sensation Disorders / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods*; D055815:Young Adult
D003287:Contrast Media; D001466:Barium Sulfate