Esophageal Function Tests Health Article

Definition

The esophagus is the swallowing tube through which food passes on its way from the mouth to the stomach. The main function of this organ is to propel food down into the stomach. There is also a mechanism to prevent food from coming back up or "refluxing" from the stomach into the esophagus. Esophageal function tests are used to determine if these processes are normal or abnormal.

Purpose

The esophagus is a long, muscular tube that also has two muscles (or sphincters) at the top and bottom. All of these muscular areas must contract in an exact sequence for swallowing to proceed normally. There are three main symptoms that occur when esophageal function is abnormal: difficulty with swallowing (dysphagia), heart-burn, and chest pain.

Doctors perform a variety of tests to evaluate these symptoms. Endoscopy, which is not a test of esophageal function, is often used to determine if the lining of the esophagus has any ulcers, tumors, or areas of narrowing (strictures). Many times, however, endoscopy only shows the doctor if there is injury to the esophageal lining, and the procedure gives no information about the cause of the problem.

Therefore, in addition to endoscopy, several studies are available that measure esophageal function. There are three basic types of tests used to assess esophageal function:

• Manometry is used to study the way the muscles of the esophagus contract, and is most useful for the investigation of difficulty with swallowing.
• Esophageal pH monitoring measures changes in esophageal acidity, and is valuable for evaluating patients with heartburn or gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD).
• X-ray studies investigate swallowing difficulties. They either follow the progress of barium during swallowing using a fluoroscope, or they use radioactive scanning techniques.

Precautions

Pregnant patients undergoing x-ray exams should carefully review the risks and benefits with their doctors. Most x-ray exams of the gastrointestinal tract do not involve radiation levels that are harmful to the unborn baby.