Serial esophagograms were obtained from 143 normal subjects who showed no abnormal findings in clinical examinations including fiberscopy and brushing cytology. The subjects were kept at the right antero-oblique position and 5 pictures were serially taken at 1, 3, 5, 7, and 9 seconds after a swallow of contrast medium using quarter size films. Although comprehensive observations of the entire esophagus with filling, double-contrasted and mucosal fold images were hardly made due to rapid passage of contrast medium through the esophagus, observations were made at the 7 different levels and the following findings were obtained. The 7 levels were; A: 3 cm above the clavicle, B: clavicle, C: aortic arch, D: tracheal bifurcation, E: upper 1/3 between bifurcation and esophagocardiac junction (ECJ), F: lower 1/3 of the above.
The transverse diameter of esophagus was the largest after 1 second, and the size was the largest at E, followed by D, F, A, B and C in this order.
The esophagocardiac junction (ECJ) was wider in the male than in the female, and the peak was observed after 3 seconds in both sexes. The width of ECJ was wider in the case in which the medium was more quickly exhausted from esophagus.
Contraction of esophageal wall first occurred at D in the thoracic esophagus, and the peristalsis developed to E and F. Then, the second peristalsis occurred in A and B.
In general, 1 to 8 (2.9 on the average) folds were seen on the esophagograms. When the transverse diameter of esophagus became larger, the number of the esophageal folds increased proportionally. The width of the esophageal fold was from 0. 3 to 5. 0 mm with a mean of 1. 52 mm. It tended to be a little wider in the lower esophagus (D, E, F) than in the upper (A, B, C.)
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