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Peer-reviewedCC BY 4.0Current Medical Imaging

Can Esophageal Stiffness and Thickness Measurement by Transcervical Sonoelastography Predict Reflux Esophagitis?

  • Gökhan Aygün1
  • Sercan Özkaçmaz2
  • Fatma Durmaz2
  • Mesut Özgökçe2
  • Ilyas Dündar2
  • Nurşen Toprak2
  • Yaren Dirik3
  • Mesut Aydın4
  • Yeliz Dadalı5
  • Harun Elçiçek2
5 affiliations
  1. 1Department of Radiology, University of Health Sciences Van Research and Training Hospital, Van, Türkiye
  2. 2Department of Radiology, Van Yuzuncu Yıl University School of Medicine, Van, Türkiye
  3. 3Department of Gastroenterology, Ministry of Health Siirt Training Hospital, Siirt Training Hospital, Siirt, Türkiye
  4. 4Department of Gastroenterology, Health Sciences University Izmir Tepecik Eğitin ve Araştırma Hastanesi, Izmir, Türkiye
  5. 5Department of Radiology, Kırşehir Ahi Evran University, Faculty of Medicine, Kırşehir, Türkiye
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Abstract

Objective: We aimed to investigate the efficacy of transcervical esophageal sonoelastography in discriminating between patients with and without Reflux Esophagitis (RE).

Methods: Patients who underwent an esophagogastroduodenoscopy following a transcervical sonoelastographic examination in a tertiary center were included. The thickness and Shear Wave Velocity (SWV) of the submucosa-mucosa, muscularis mucosae, and total esophageal wall were measured by using sonoelastography. Patients were classified into RE-positive (grades A-D according to The Los Angeles Classification) and RE-negative groups based on endoscopic findings. The elastosonographic features of RE (-) and RE (+) patients were compared statistically

Results: Among the 503 included patients, 129 (25.6%) were RE (+) [(80 grade A (62%), 28 grade B (21.7%), 12 grade C (9.3%), 9 grade D (7%)] and 374 were RE (-). A 31.7% positive correlation between age and Total Wall Thickness (TWT) and a 21% negative correlation between TWT and submucosa-mucosa SWV were detected. The thickness of submucosa-mucosa, muscularis propria, and total wall were significantly higher in RE (+) patients compared to RE (-) patients (p < 0.001 for all). The SWVs of submucosa-mucosa, muscularis propria, and total wall were significantly lower in RE (+) patients compared to RE (-) patients (p < 0.001 for all). A cut-off value of 2.35 mm for TWT yielded 67% sensitivity and 57% specificity, while a cut-off of 2.08 m/s for total wall SWV yielded 79% sensitivity and 81% specificity for the diagnosis of RE.

Discussion: The significant increase in cervical esophageal wall thickness in RE (+) is consistent with the literature. However, the markedly decreased stiffness is a novel finding demonstrated by this study.

Conclusion: The evaluation of esophageal thickness and stiffness using sonoelastography may be added to routine neck ultrasound scans for the prediction of RE.

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Cite

BibTeXRIS
BibTeX
@article{aygun2026esophageal,
  title = {{Can Esophageal Stiffness and Thickness Measurement by Transcervical Sonoelastography Predict Reflux Esophagitis?}},
  author = {Gökhan Aygün and Sercan Özkaçmaz and Fatma Durmaz and Mesut Özgökçe and Ilyas Dündar and Nurşen Toprak and Yaren Dirik and Mesut Aydın and Yeliz Dadalı and Harun Elçiçek},
  journal = {Current Medical Imaging},
  year = {2026},
  month = aug,
  doi = {10.2174/0115734056462689260813104254},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.2174/0115734056462689260813104254},
  note = {CC BY 4.0},
}
RIS
TY  - JOUR
TI  - Can Esophageal Stiffness and Thickness Measurement by Transcervical Sonoelastography Predict Reflux Esophagitis?
AU  - Gökhan Aygün
AU  - Sercan Özkaçmaz
AU  - Fatma Durmaz
AU  - Mesut Özgökçe
AU  - Ilyas Dündar
AU  - Nurşen Toprak
AU  - Yaren Dirik
AU  - Mesut Aydın
AU  - Yeliz Dadalı
AU  - Harun Elçiçek
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/08/24
JO  - Current Medical Imaging
DO  - 10.2174/0115734056462689260813104254
UR  - https://doi.org/10.2174/0115734056462689260813104254
AB  - Objective: We aimed to investigate the efficacy of transcervical esophageal sonoelastography in discriminating between patients with and without Reflux Esophagitis (RE).  Methods: Patients who underwent an esophagogastroduodenoscopy following a transcervical sonoelastographic examination in a tertiary center were included. The thickness and Shear Wave Velocity (SWV) of the submucosa-mucosa, muscularis mucosae, and total esophageal wall were measured by using sonoelastography. Patients were classified into RE-positive (grades A-D according to The Los Angeles Classification) and RE-negative groups based on endoscopic findings. The elastosonographic features of RE (-) and RE (+) patients were compared statistically  Results: Among the 503 included patients, 129 (25.6%) were RE (+) [(80 grade A (62%), 28 grade B (21.7%), 12 grade C (9.3%), 9 grade D (7%)] and 374 were RE (-). A 31.7% positive correlation between age and Total Wall Thickness (TWT) and a 21% negative correlation between TWT and submucosa-mucosa SWV were detected. The thickness of submucosa-mucosa, muscularis propria, and total wall were significantly higher in RE (+) patients compared to RE (-) patients (p < 0.001 for all). The SWVs of submucosa-mucosa, muscularis propria, and total wall were significantly lower in RE (+) patients compared to RE (-) patients (p < 0.001 for all). A cut-off value of 2.35 mm for TWT yielded 67% sensitivity and 57% specificity, while a cut-off of 2.08 m/s for total wall SWV yielded 79% sensitivity and 81% specificity for the diagnosis of RE.  Discussion: The significant increase in cervical esophageal wall thickness in RE (+) is consistent with the literature. However, the markedly decreased stiffness is a novel finding demonstrated by this study.  Conclusion: The evaluation of esophageal thickness and stiffness using sonoelastography may be added to routine neck ultrasound scans for the prediction of RE.
SN  - 1573-4056
ER  -