ABSTRACT
Objective To investigate the relationships among clinical features, endoscopic characteristics and pathologic epithelial types of Barrett esophagus. Methods Magnification chromoendoscopy ( MCE) was performed in 2506 patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease ( GERD) and 106 patients with Barrett esophagus in our hospital during Feb,2003 -Feb,2004 were analyzed. The clinical features, endoscopic characteristics, pathologic epithelial types and their relationships were analyzed. Results The symptoms of gastro esophageal reflux disease ( GERD) were the main presentation of Barrett esophagus but 27 (25. 5% ) cases without such presentation. Four types of mueosal patterns, dot pattern, ridge or villous pattern and irregular/distorted pattern. were noted within the columnar mucosa using high magnification endos-copy: There were three epithelial types within the columnar lined esophagus: intestinal metaplasia (IM ) , cardiac and fundie types. Three epithelial types were noted in the methylene blue staining areas; ridged/vil-lous pattern and irregular/distorted pattern, all of them were in epithelial types of intestinal metaplasia. Conclusion Magnification chromoendoscopy helps to identify areas with IM, and having important significance in diagnosis and clinical follow up of Barrett esophagus.