A comparative study of esophageal varices by endoscopy and percutaneous transhepatic esophageal phlebography.

Twenty patients with portal hypertension due to cirrhosis were examined by esophagoscopy and percutaneous transhepatic esophageal phlebography. Esophageal varices were found in 18 cases at endoscopy and in 19 cases at esophageal phlebography. There was little correlation between the findings of the two methods with respect to the size and number of esophageal varices. At endoscopy the subepithelial and submucosal varices were reliably detected. At esophageal phlebography differentiation between intrinsic (i.e. subepithelial and submucosal veins) and peri-esophageal veins was not possible. Negative findings at esophageal phlebography do not rule out esophageal varices.