The esophagus in collagen disease. Radiologic findings.

A prospective cineradiographic and manometric study of pharyngeal and esophageal dysfunction was performed in 54 patients with rigidly defined scleroderma, polymyositis, systemic lupus erythematosus, and rheumatoid arthritis. Cineradiography was inaccurate in pharyngeal dysfunctions specific for polymyositis. Manometry was an accurate but insensitive test. Manometry was also significantly more accurate than cineradiography in identifying patients with smooth muscle dysfunction (scleroderma). Cineradiographic finding of absent esophageal peristalsis accurately identified patients with scleroderma but it identified only a small percentage (33 percent). Cineradiography finding of diminished esophageal peristalsis was found in scleroderma (23 percent), polymyositis, (30 percent), and SLE (11 percent) and has been reported in rheumatoid arthritis. This finding is a non specific finding suggestive of collagen vascular disease rather than specific for scleroderms.