REVIEWS  PRESENT AND FUTURE IN PAEDIATRIC NUCLEAR MEDICINE 

The Quarterly Journal of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular imaging 2010 August;54(4):372-8

Copyright © 2010 EDIZIONI MINERVA MEDICA

language: English

Gastro-esophageal studies in relationship to respiratory problems

Ciofetta G. ✉

Unit of Nuclear Medicine, Department of Diagnostic Imaging, Bambino Gesù Pediatric Hospital, Rome, Italy

Gastroesophageal reflux represents a physiological phenomenon in the first year of life. The reflux associated with clinical complications is defined as “gastroesophageal reflux disease” (GERD), that may be esophageal or extra-esophageal, as is for respiratory problems. Nuclear medicine investigations have given an important contribution to the diagnostic assessment and therapeutical management of GERD in children, by means of the following procedures: scintigraphy of the gastroduodenal transit and reflux detection, scintigraphic quantification of gastric emptying, scintigraphy of the esophageal transit, radioisotopic salivagram, scintigraphy of lung perfusion, ventilation and of mucociliary clearance. All of these investigations are among the less irradiating nuclear medicine procedures, therefore particularly adapted to paediatrics. The main clinical advantages of this body of information include: improvements in the management of many asthmatic children, surgical anti-reflux intervention success-rate increase, prompt regional lung alterations detection for preventing stable tissue damage, and many others.