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The limits of endoscopy in the diagnosis of oesophagitis, gastritis and duodenitis
Author(s) -
WILKINSON S. P.
Publication year - 1997
Publication title -
alimentary pharmacology and therapeutics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.308
H-Index - 177
eISSN - 1365-2036
pISSN - 0269-2813
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2036.1997.tb00788.x
Subject(s) - medicine , duodenitis , gastroenterology , endoscopy , duodenum , gastritis , esophagitis , erythema , esophagogastroduodenoscopy , stomach , reflux , dermatology , disease
SUMMARY Endoscopy alone, without histology, has poor sensitivity and specificity for diagnosing diffuse mucosal diseases of the oesophagus, stomach and duodenum. Erosive lesions with exudate at the distal end of the oesophagus are a reliable sign of oesophagitis, but are present in only approximately 50% of patients with gastro‐oesophageal reflux. Erythema and friability are unreliable are subject to considerable inter‐observer variation. Numerous macroscopic abnormalities of the gastric and duodenal mucosa have been identified, but these show no consistent histological pattern.