Thoracic stomach: comparative evaluation of endoscopy, gastric aspirate analysis and hepatobiliary scintigraphy in the diagnosis of duodeno-gastric reflux.

Twenty patients with thoracic stomach were subjected to hepatobiliary scintigraphy for the diagnosis of duodenogastric reflux. The results of the radionuclide studies were correlated with those of endoscopy and biochemical estimation of total intragastric bile acid. Hepatobiliary scintigraphy was found to be more sensitive (91.6%) and accurate (95%) than endoscopy (25% and 55% respectively) and biochemical estimation of total intragastric bile acid content (66.6% and 80% respectively). Being noninvasive and physiological, radionuclide study appears suitable for routine clinical use in the diagnosis of duodeno-gastric reflux.