Comparative imaging studies of congenital pyriform sinus fistula / 中华放射学杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To investigate the image features of congenital pyriform sinus fistula (CPSF). Methods We retrospectively analyzed the clinical features and preoperative images of 80 patients with confirmed diagnosis of CPSF by surgical and pathological outcome in Guangdong general hospital from January 2007 to December 2014. At least one of the following imaging examinations were performed for all the patients, including Barium swallow X-ray (BSX), CT and MRI. Among them, 63 patients were examined with BSX, while 42 patients underwent plain and enhanced CT scans, wherein 40 of them were exanimated shortly after BSX. Thirty-two patients underwent plain and enhanced MRI scans. Patients were divided into two groups according to their age, young age group (≤14 years old) and older age group (>14 years old). Furthermore, they were also grouped based on inflammatory or quiescent stage clinically. The images of BSX, CT, and MRI from the patients were analyzed and the positive diagnostic rates (PDR) between groups were compared by using χ2 tests. Results For the patients examined with BSX, sinuses in 35 of 63 were depicted from pyriform and fistulas in 9 of 63 were depicted from the pyriform. The overall PDR of BSX was 74.6%(47/63),wherein 46.2%(12/26)in young age group , 94.6%(35/37)in older age group, 52.9%(9/17) in inflammatory stage group ,and 82.6%(38/46)in quiescent stage group. The inter-group differences were statistically significant (χ2 were 18.911 and 5.766,both P0.05).Conclusions BSX could be a screening method for suspected cases of CPSF in quiescent stage. However, the PDR could be affected by many factors (age and inflammation). CT and MRI could provide valuable information for diagnosis. An examination combined BSX and CT is preferred to improve the positive detective rate of CPSF.