[Scintigraphic demonstration of asymptomatic gastroesophageal reflux]

Abstract

Examination of terminal esophageal function shows that a physiological reflux does most likely exist. However, with most methods a mechanical irritation cannot be excluded. With the help of gastric reflux scintigraphy and by drawing up time-activity graphs, it was shown that in 7 of 12 asymptomatic test subjects at least 1 and at the most 7 reflux episodes could be observed within 1 h. This study shows that the gastric reflux scintigraphy is at present the most sensitive method of demonstrating a gastroesophageal reflux. The results allow conclusions on the function from the morphology, if consideration is taken of the fact that the sphincter function of the gastroesophageal junction is not carried out by means of a circular sphincter, but rather by means of a specially arranged muscle fibre system of the stretching-closing-mechanism kind.