Proposal of a modified scintigraphic method to evaluate duodenogastroesophageal reflux

Hepatobiliary scintigraphy with ^99mTc-HIDA offers a noninvasive method to detect duodenogastric reflux. Biliary reflux was graded using the persistence rather than the intensity of the radioactive refluxate: Grade 0 was considered the absence of reflux, minimal reflux, or reflux in the first 10-15 min; Grade 1 was repetitive reflux lasting less than 10 min; Grade 2 was persistent reflux; and Grade 3 was reflux up to the esophagus. Twenty-five patients with foregut symptoms were studied and results were compared to 24-hr gastric pH monitoring. Scintigraphy and pH monitoring agreed in 15 out of 25 patients (60%), but no correlation was found with the endoscopic findings. The rationale for this approach is based on pathophysiologic evidence that damage to gastric and/or esophageal mucosa is mainly related to the prolonged contact time with duodenal contents. This technique seems to allow a complete functional evaluation of the esophagogastroduodenal tract without causing adjunctive irradiation or discomfort to the patient.