How is cancer of the esophagus diagnosed?
To find the cause of any of these symptoms, the doctor asks about the patient’s personal and family medical history and does a complete physical exam. In addition to checking general signs of health, the doctor usually orders x-rays and other tests. An esophagram (also called a barium swallow) is a series of x-rays of the esophagus. To prepare for this test, the patient drinks a barium solution. The barium, which shows up on x-rays, coats the inside of the esophagus. The esophagram shows changes in the shape of the esophagus. The doctor can also use a special x-ray machine called a fluoroscope to watch the barium move down the esophagus to the stomach as the patient swallows. Most patients also have a test called esophagoscopy. For this procedure, the patient’s throat is sprayed with a local anesthetic to reduce discomfort and gagging. The doctor then passes a thin, flexible, lighted instrument called an endoscope through the mouth and down the throat into the esophagus. The scope lets
