Esophageal Transit Time Scintigraphy in the Assessment of the Esophagus Motility

Abstract

An eighty-three-year-old male with a known case of gastroesophageal adenocarcinoma presented with persistent vomiting and chest pain even after esophageal stent was inserted. Esophageal scintigraphy was performed to assess the esophagus motility. A 9995 micro-Curi Tc-99 m sulfur colloid with 15 ml water as bolus was used; immediately thereafter sequential dynamic images for the chest region in anterior projection were performed: one second per frame for 60 seconds, followed by 30 seconds per frame for 10 minutes while the patient took multiple dry swallows every 30 seconds. Images were compressed and displayed in five seconds per frame for initial 60-second images followed by two minutes per frame for the remaining 10-minute dynamic study. Timeactivity curve for the whole esophagus and each of its upper, middle and lower thirds were generated.