The Diagnostic Value of Barium Swallow in the Esophageal Disorders: A Retrospective Study

Introduction: Esophageal disorders are a common cause of dysphagia and encompass a wide range of structural and functional abnormalities. Although endoscopy and advanced imaging modalities are widely used, the barium swallow examination continues to play an important role owing to its ability to provide dynamic assessment of esophageal anatomy and motility. This study evaluated the diagnostic value of barium swallow in detecting esophageal disorders in patients presenting with upper gastrointestinal symptoms.

Materials and Methods: A retrospective observational study was conducted in the Department of Radiology, BLDE (DU) Shri B. M. Patil Medical College, Hospital and Research Centre, Vijayapura. Medical records and archived barium swallow examinations performed between April 2025 and March 2026 were reviewed. Adult patients with dysphagia, odynophagia, chronic gastroesophageal reflux, or suspected esophageal pathology were included. Demographic details, radiological findings, and available endoscopic and histopathological diagnoses were analyzed using descriptive statistics.

Results: A total of 42 patients were included, comprising 26 (61.9%) females and 16 (38.1%) males. The most common age group was 31–40 years (33.3%). Abnormal barium swallow findings were identified in 27 (64.3%) patients, while 15 (35.7%) had normal examinations. Achalasia cardia was the most frequent abnormality (11.9%), followed by esophageal web (9.5%) and neoplastic lesions (9.5%). Structural benign lesions constituted the largest diagnostic category (23.8%), followed by motility disorders (14.3%). The examination effectively demonstrated both structural and functional abnormalities of the esophagus.

Conclusion: Barium swallow remains a valuable, safe, and cost-effective diagnostic modality for evaluating esophageal disorders. It provides comprehensive assessment of esophageal morphology and motility and continues to serve as an effective first-line investigation, particularly in patients presenting with dysphagia and suspected esophageal pathology