The child with peptic esophagitis: a correlation of radiologic signs with esophageal pathology.

Thirty-five children with gastroesophageal reflux were examined in a prospective study in which radiologic findings were correlated with the esophageal biopsy. No consistent radiologic abnormality was found in 24 children with minimal to moderate esophagitis and in three children with normal histology. Positive radiologic findings were found in five out of seven patients with severe, or severe ulcerative, esophagitis and in one child with moderate esophagitis. The positive radiologic findings consisted of signs of mucosal inflammation (mucosal edema, ulceration, esophageal narrowing) in five cases and abnormalities of esophageal function (aperistalsis, continuous reflux) in three. In children with peptic esophagitis, the barium examination of the esophagus appeared to be of diagnostic value only in the small number of patients with advanced disease; the absence of radiologic signs (with one exception) excluded severe inflammation. A statistically significant correlation was found between age and the histologic severity of esophagitis.