The oesophagus is a muscular tube. Its purpose is to transport liquids and food from the mouth to the stomach. It is part of the digestive system, but the first part of the digestive process begins in the mouth, where food is chewed and broken down by the teeth and saliva.
Chewed food is swallowed, and the oesophagus pushes it downwards toward the stomach, where the digestive process can continue.
The function of the oesophagus is relatively simple, but disorders resulting in symptoms can occur. These can be mild to severe, depending on the abnormalities involved and how quickly they can be detected.
An oesophageal manometry test is used to diagnose oesophageal motility disorders. Some abnormalities of the oesophagus can cause problems with swallowing.
The purpose of an oesophageal manometry test is to measure the movements of the oesophagus when carrying food down into the stomach. The process is also known as peristalsis. This test can also measure how the valves at the top and bottom of the oesophagus function.
The test itself can measure the pressure in the oesophagus and involves having a catheter with high-resolution pressure sensors placed inside the oesophagus. Up to 36 sensors spaced one centimetre apart can be used.
The catheter is usually placed up through the nose and then pushed down into the oesophagus. Readings from the sensors are taken at rest and whilst swallowing water. Abnormal readings can suggest irregular muscle contractions and spasms.
The purpose of an oesophageal pH test is to measure how often stomach acid enters the oesophagus. It also measures how long the acid remains there. Stomach acid in the oesophagus can cause heartburn and inflammation because it acts as an irritant to its lining.
The test involves placing a catheter or a pH probe into the oesophagus, and both can measure the pH level for 24 to 96 hours. This can be useful for sufferers of acid reflux and GERD.
Gastrointestinal X-rays, such as a barium X-ray, involve drinking a chalky substance that highlights certain parts of the digestive system, including the oesophagus.
This can allow a medical team to examine certain parts of the digestive system in more detail. Ulcers, tumours, inflammation, and even foreign bodies that may have accidentally been swallowed can be detected with this test because of detailed imaging of the upper and lower GI tract that this test creates.
If any abnormalities are discovered in the upper GI tract, such as the oesophagus, then other tests can also be carried out to confirm the X-ray findings.
Other X-rays, such as an abdominal X-ray, use very small doses of ionising radiation to produce detailed images of the abdomen, but these are used to detect problems in the liver, intestines, and stomach rather than the oesophagus.
An endoscopy involves swallowing a flexible tube that is attached to a camera. When the tube is swallowed, images of the oesophagus are reviewed on a monitor by gastrologists. Such detailed imagery can help medical experts diagnose oesophageal cancer, inflammation, and other abnormalities that can affect swallowing.
An endoscopy can also examine the health of the oesophageal sphincter, the stomach lining, and the small intestine. However, it is considered to be the gold standard for examining and detecting abnormalities in the oesophagus.
It is often used to confirm the presence of ulcers or cancer of the oesophagus. Biopsies of suspicious areas of the lining of the oesophagus wall can also be taken during an endoscopy. These can be sent to a lab for further investigations, or they can help to confirm a diagnosis.