Department of Radiology, Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, 3400 Spruce St, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA.
AJR Am J Roentgenol. 2010 Apr;194(4):972-6. doi: 10.2214/AJR.09.3352.
The purposes of this study were to reassess the relation between a feline esophagus (transient transverse esophageal folds) and gastroesophageal reflux (GER) and to determine whether a feline esophagus is observed more often during swallowing or during reflux of barium.
A computerized search of double-contrast esophagrams was performed to generate four equal groups of 56 patients with marked, moderate, mild, and no GER. The imaging findings were reviewed to determine the frequency of a feline esophagus in these groups and whether this sign was detected during swallowing or reflux of barium. The presence of a feline esophagus also was correlated with the presence of a hiatal hernia, reflux esophagitis, a peptic stricture, and esophageal dysmotility.
A feline esophagus was detected in 20 of 224 patients (9%). It was detected during reflux of barium in 17 patients (85%), swallowing of barium in two patients (10%), and both in one patient (5%). GER was present in all 20 patients with a feline esophagus and in 148 of the 204 patients (73%) without a feline esophagus (p = 0.0068). A significant relation also was found between a feline esophagus and the presence of a hiatal hernia (p = 0.0116) but not between a feline esophagus and the presence of reflux esophagitis, a peptic stricture, or esophageal dysmotility.
All patients with a feline esophagus at barium esophagography had associated GER. These transverse folds were observed mainly during reflux of barium from the stomach rather than during swallowing of barium. When a feline esophagus is detected during barium studies, the patient is extremely likely to have GER whether or not GER is seen at fluoroscopy.
本研究旨在重新评估猫型食管（暂时性食管横向皱襞）与胃食管反流（GER）之间的关系，并确定在钡剂反流期间还是吞咽期间更常观察到猫型食管。
通过计算机搜索双对比食管造影，生成了 4 组各 56 例具有明显、中度、轻度和无 GER 的患者。对影像学表现进行回顾性分析，以确定这些组中猫型食管的频率，以及该征象是在钡剂反流期间还是吞咽期间检测到。还将猫型食管的存在与食管裂孔疝、反流性食管炎、消化性狭窄和食管动力障碍的存在相关联。
在 224 例患者中有 20 例（9%）检测到猫型食管。在 17 例患者（85%）中钡剂反流期间检测到，在 2 例患者（10%）中钡剂吞咽期间检测到，在 1 例患者（5%）中钡剂反流和吞咽期间均检测到。在所有 20 例有猫型食管的患者中均存在 GER，在 204 例无猫型食管的患者中有 148 例（73%）存在 GER（p = 0.0068）。还发现猫型食管与食管裂孔疝的存在之间存在显著关系（p = 0.0116），但与反流性食管炎、消化性狭窄或食管动力障碍的存在之间无关系。
在钡剂食管造影时观察到猫型食管的所有患者均存在 GER。这些横向褶皱主要在钡剂从胃反流期间观察到，而不是在钡剂吞咽期间观察到。在钡剂研究期间观察到猫型食管时，无论在透视下是否观察到 GER，患者极有可能存在 GER。
