Cineradiography in normal and abnormal pharyngo-esophageal deglutition

With the aid of high-speed cineradiography the pharyngeal stage of deglutition was examined among 150 volunteers without dysphagia in order to evaluate the radiographic pattern of normal deglutition. In order to evaluate the dignostic result of cineradiographic examinations of the pharyngeal stage of deglutition among dysphagial patients 250 such patients were consecutively examined with an identical technique as the volunteers. The result of the investigation has shown that high-speed cineradiography is a convenient radiologic method for studying normal and abnormal deglutition. In nondysphagial individuals the pharyngeal stage of deglutition is executed with precision, smoothness and obviously with efficiency. In a few individuals without swallowing complaints circumscribed functional aberrations can be registered. In the majority of patients with dysphagia high-speed cineradiography is able to detect functional abnormalities during deglutition. An examination of such patients with this techique is therefore indispensable in order to disclose a probable cause of their complaints. (Auth.)