Esophagus

Question 1

The esophagus has two sphincters.

The upper esophageal sphicter is

responsible for preventing

Answer 1

aerophagia

and

reflux of esophageal contents back into the pharynx

Question 2

The esophagus has two sphincters.

The lower esophageal sphicter is

responsible for preventing

Answer 2

reflux of gastric acid into the caudal esophagus

Question 3

What are the 4 layers of the esophagus?

Answer 3

Submucosa

Smooth muscle/mucous glands

Muscularis

Mucosa

Question 4

T/F:

The esophagus is readily visualized on normal radiographs

Answer 4

FALSE

Question 5

With small amounts of gas or fluid, you can occasionally

see the esophagus in this view

Answer 5

LEFT lateral view

Question 6

Tracheoesophageal stripe sign is due to

_______ accummulation seen in

LEFT lateral view

Answer 6

fluid

Question 7

A common secondary complication associated with esophageal disease

Answer 7

Aspiration pneumonia

Question 8

What are the indications for examination of the

upper alimentary tract?

Answer 8

Dysphagia

Recurrent or unexplained respiratory disease

Regurgitation

Question 9

What type of imaging method is required to assess

esophageal FUNCTION?

Answer 9

Dynamic evaluation:

Contrast Fluoroscopy

Question 10

Drugs that affect the _______ are contraindicated in

esophagrams

Answer 10

CNS

Question 11

When would you obtain the best view of the esophagus after

survey film and contrast administration?

Answer 11

DURING SWALLOWING

Question 12

How is a cat’s esophagus visually different in contrast

radiography?

Answer 12

HERRINGBONE PATTERN

instead of longitudinal lines likes everyone else, cats have to

be special little flowers and have oblique lines

in the caudal 1/3 of the esophagus

Question 13

If the esophagus is dilated along its entire length,

but prominent in the mediastinum,

what disease is it?

Answer 13

GENERALIZED Megaesophagus

Question 14

A ventral depression in the trachea is indicative of

Answer 14

Generalized Megaesophagus

Question 15

In Generalized Megaesophagus, the entire esophagus is dilated and

can be filled with gas, ingesta, or fluid.

How would you know it was gas?

Answer 15

The tracheobronchial stripe sign is present if it is gas filled

Question 16

If you see a “V” sign, or 2 soft tissue lines forming a V at the

esophageal hiatus of the diaphragm,

what disease is occuring?

Answer 16

Diffuse Megaesophagus

Question 17

In Focal Megaesophagus, material is usually

trapped _________ to the lesion

Answer 17

cranial

Question 18

If the esophagus is constricted at the heart base,

which condition is occurring?

Answer 18

Vascular Ring Anomaly

Question 19

Vascular Ring Anomaly may result in

__________ or __________

of the oral part of the esophagus

Answer 19

sacculations or diverticula

Question 20

T/F:

Vascular Ring Anomaly will cause displacement of the trachea

Answer 20

TRUE

Question 21

In regards to Vascular Ring Anomaly,

persistent right ____ aortic arch is the most common malformation

Answer 21

4th

Question 22

What do these 4 locations have in common?

Cranial cervical esophagus

Thoracic inlet

Heart base

Caudal esophageal hiatus

Answer 22

They are all common sites of foreign body entrapment

Question 23

What is a common cause of esophageal granulomas?

Answer 23

Spirocerca lupi

Question 24

If you see persistent focal narrowing with dilation of the oral

part of the esophagus, what is occurring?

Answer 24

Esophageal stricture