J Korean Radiol Soc.
1999 May;40(5):937-939. 10.3348/jkrs.1999.40.5.937.
Ultrasonog raphic Findings of Esophageal Varices
- Affiliations
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- 1Department of Radiology, Shilla General Hospital, Korea.
- 2Department of Surgery, Shilla General Hospital, Korea.
- 3Department of Internal Medicine, Shilla General Hospital, Korea.
- KMID: 2201003
- DOI: http://doi.org/10.3348/jkrs.1999.40.5.937
Abstract
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PURPOSE: To demonstrate the clinical usefulness of ultrasonography for detecting esophageal varices.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
In 20 cases of esophaged varix, the authors analysed the transabdominal ultrasono-graphicfindings of the esophagogastric junction and compared mural thickness, the anteroposterior diameter of theesophagus, and the echogenic nature of the esophageal mucosal layer with those of 78 normal patients.
RESULTS
The anterior and posterior mural thickeness of normal esophagus was 2.2 +/-0.7 and 2.4 +/-0.8mm re-spectively, butfor variceal esophagus, the corresponding readings were 5.9 +/-1.3 and 5.2 +/-1.3mm respective-ly. Theanteroposterior diameter of normal esophagus was 7.9 +/-2.1mm and that of variceal esophagus was 1 4 . 0 +/-1.8mm.There was a stastically significant difference (p<0.01) in mural thickness and anteroposterior diameter of theesophagus between a normal and variceal patient with regard to change of echogenic nature at the esphagogastricjunction. Normal esophageal mucosa showed a thin and uniform echogenic line, but for variceal mucosa, theechogenic pattern was irregular, tortuous and thick.
CONCLUSION
The athors believe that transabdominal US ishelpful for detecting esophageal varices in patients with liver cirrhosis and UGI bleeding. Important clinicallyuseful sonographic findings in diagnosing e-sophageal varix are as follows: 1) mural thickness more than 6mm; 2)anteroposterior diameter of the esopha-gus of more than 15mm; 3) irregular, tortuous and thickened echogenicmucosa.
