Use of Sonography for Evaluation of the Cervical and Thoracic Esophagus in Children

Abstract

Objectives The purpose of this study was to determine the normal sonographic appearance of the cervical and thoracic esophagus and to provide corresponding measurements in healthy children. Methods In this prospective study, 93 children (51 girls and 42 boys) 1 to 15 years of age were examined sonographically. With the patient in a supine position for evaluation of the cervical esophagus, the ultrasound transducer was placed on both sides of the trachea. To evaluate the thoracic esophagus, the hands were raised over the head, and the ultrasound transducer was placed along the left side of the sternum. The length of the cervical esophagus was measured longitudinally, and the anteroposterior and transverse diameters of the cervical and thoracic esophagus were measured transversely, as was the thickness of the cervical esophageal wall. Results The cervical esophagus was identified in all of the children, whereas the thoracic esophagus was shown in 41 (44%) of the 93 participants. The length of the cervical esophagus and anteroposterior and transverse diameters of the cervical and thoracic esophagus increased with age. The mean thickness of the cervical esophagus was 2.8 mm at all ages. The cervical esophageal wall appeared as 5 layers on the sonograms, and the lumen was distinct. Conclusions Evaluation of the cervical esophagus was readily achievable with sonography in children, whereas visualization of the thoracic esophagus was difficult because of the deep location, small size, and influence of bones and gas in the lungs. Conventional sonography can be easily used in the evaluation of cervical esophageal diseases in children.

Diagnostic Value of Ultrasound Findings in Eosinophilic Esophagitis Versus Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease in Children

“…Research revealed that, unlike the thoracic esophagus, the proximal esophagus could easily be assessed by ultrasound, and although the length of the cervical esophagus increased with age, the mean thickness of the cervical esophagus remained constant throughout the age. It was concluded that conventional ultrasound could be easily used to assess proximal esophageal diseases in children (25). In this study, the evaluated indices, including diameter, wall thickness, length, and percentage of dispensability changes after drinking water, in the cervical and abdominal esophagus, were measured by ultrasound, and we evaluated the diagnostic value of ultrasound findings in children with EoE.…”

Predicting pediatric esophageal wall thickness: An EUS study

“…[ 7 ] Esophageal CT demonstrated an increase in thickness between adults with esophageal cancer (6.4 mm) compared to controls (6.0 mm) and to highlighted differences between adults with esophagitis (4.7 mm) and controls (2.9 mm). [ 8 9 ] External sonography performed in 93 children aged 1–15 years determined that the cervical esophagus TWT was 2.8 mm at all ages[ 10 ] and in another group of 124 healthy children 2 days to 12 years the gastroesophageal junction TWT ranged from 2.4 to 5.7 mm. [ 11 ] A previous EUS study of 24 EoE patients, available only as an abstract, has also noted an increased TWT compared to gastroesophageal reflux (GERD) patients (3.86 vs .…”