[Selective Lugol's solution staining in the diagnosis of carcinomatous and inflammatory lesions of the esophagus].

The selective character of staining the intact mucosa with Lugol's solution is dependent on the glycogen content in the superficial epithelial layer of the oesophagus. The inflammatory or carcinomatous epithelium being not stained is accounted for by changes in the glycogen content in the oesophageal epithelium which makes the staining method useful for diagnozing carcinomatous and inflammatory diseases of the oesophagus.