Abstract
In our prospective study, we found endoscopically small esophageal red spots in 61 (11%) of 564 cases which were not associated with reflux esophagitis, carcinoma, varices and stricture in the esophagus. The incidence of the red spots increased with age. With Lugol staining, 35 lesions (57%) of them were deeply stained, 4 (7%) were normally, 10 (16%) were slightly and 12 (20%) were not stained. Biopsy was performed in 25 of 61 cases during endoscopy. In 20 cases (80%) of them, histological examination of the biopsy specimens revealed infiltration of inflammatory cells, thickening of basal cell layer or/and extension of papillae. These results suggested that many persons had solitary esophagitis. Out of 9 cases which was not stained with Lugol's solution, one was histologically diagnosed as squamous cell carcinoma on biopsy specimen and one was diagnosed as moderately dysplastic lesion. This study showed small superficial esophageal carcinoma could be found by means of biopsy of red spots which were not at all stained or deepstained partially with nap-like shape at its margin with Lugol's solution.
