A parametric image technique for the assessment of oesophageal function.

An existing technique for the presentation of oesophageal transit studies has been further developed and applied to conventional radionuclide data. The spatial and temporal information contained in the original dynamic study is compressed to a single image, showing the linear distribution of activity down the oesophagus throughout the study. This parametric image contains all the useful information concerning the motion of the bolus, and is particularly useful for depicting the complex motion of a fragmented bolus. The technique has been shown to be of value in patients with a variety of oesophageal disorders.