How do doctors diagnose Barrett’s esophagus?
Doctors diagnose Barrett’s esophagus with an upper gastrointestinal (GI) endoscopy and a biopsy. Doctors may diagnose Barrett’s esophagus while performing tests to find the cause of a patient’s gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) symptoms.
Medical history
Your doctor will ask you to provide your medical history. Your doctor may recommend testing if you have multiple factors that increase your chances of developing Barrett’s esophagus.
Upper GI endoscopy and biopsy
In an upper GI endoscopy, a gastroenterologist, surgeon, or other trained health care provider uses an endoscope to see inside your upper GI tract, most often while you receive light sedation. The doctor carefully feeds the endoscope down your esophagus and into your stomach and duodenum. The procedure may show changes in the lining of your esophagus.
The doctor performs a biopsy with the endoscope by taking a small piece of tissue from the lining of your esophagus. You won’t feel the biopsy. A pathologist examines the tissue in a lab to determine whether Barrett’s esophagus cells are present. A pathologist who has expertise in diagnosing Barrett’s esophagus may need to confirm the results.
Barrett’s esophagus can be difficult to diagnose because this condition does not affect all the tissue in your esophagus. The doctor takes biopsy samples from at least eight different areas of the lining of your esophagus.
Who should be screened for Barrett’s esophagus?
Your doctor may recommend screening for Barrett’s esophagus if you are a man with chronic—lasting more than 5 years—and/or frequent—happening weekly or more—symptoms of GERD and two or more risk factors for Barrett’s esophagus. These risk factors include
- being age 50 and older
- being Caucasian
- having high levels of belly fat
- being a smoker or having smoked in the past
- having a family history of Barrett’s esophagus or esophageal adenocarcinoma
FAQs
How do doctors diagnose Barrett's esophagus? Doctors diagnose Barrett's esophagus with an upper gastrointestinal (GI) endoscopy and a biopsy. Doctors may diagnose Barrett's esophagus while performing tests to find the cause of a patient's gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) symptoms.
What is the diagnosis of Barrett's esophagus? ›
Hence, Barrett's esophagus is suspected by the appearance of the esophageal lining (salmon pink color compared to normal white color) and is confirmed by the microscopic examination of cells. It is defined in the United States as intestinal metaplasia.
What is the best diagnostic tool for diagnosis of Barrett's esophagus? ›
Endoscopy is generally used to determine if you have Barrett's esophagus. A lighted tube with a camera at the end (endoscope) is passed down your throat to check for signs of changing esophagus tissue. Normal esophagus tissue appears pale and glossy.
Should I worry if I have Barrett's esophagus? ›
Barrett's oesophagus can increase your risk of cancer of the oesophagus, although the risk is still small. Many people with Barrett's oesophagus do not develop cancer. Between 3 and 13 people out of 100 (between 3 and 13%) with Barrett's oesophagus in the UK will develop oesophageal adenocarcinoma in their lifetime.
What is the life expectancy of someone with Barrett's esophagus? ›
How long can you live with Barrett's esophagus? You can live a normal life with Barrett's esophagus, as long as it doesn't continue to progress. Precancerous or cancerous changes will affect your life expectancy. But most people with Barrett's esophagus will never develop these changes.
Can Barrett's esophagus be cured? ›
There is no cure for Barrett esophagus. However, medicines to reduce stomach acid and surgery called fundoplication may be used to treat the disease. Because Barrett esophagus tends to recur (come back), you will need continued monitoring.
How long does it take for Barrett's esophagus to become cancerous? ›
This cohort study showed that the incubation period from Barrett esophagus to invasive cancer is likely more than 30 years. G&H What are the screening guidelines for Barrett esophagus in Europe and the United States? EJK There are several guidelines on the management of patients with Barrett esophagus.
What is the new test for Barrett's esophagus? ›
Cytosponge ™ is a new test that can identify Barrett's Oesophagus in at risk patients.
What is the gold standard for Barrett's esophagus? ›
White light endoscopy is considered the gold standard for diagnosing Barrett esophagus. Chronic gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is a risk factor for Barrett esophagus.
Is vitamin D good for barrett's esophagus? ›
After vitamin D supplementation, 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels rose significantly (median increase of 31.6 ng/mL, p<0.001). There were no significant changes in gene expression from esophageal squamous or Barrett's epithelium including 15-PGDH after supplementation.
Symptoms of Barrett's oesophagus
- persistent heartburn.
- difficulty swallowing.
- painful swallowing.
- vomiting.
- a sensation of fullness during eating.
People might be misinterpreting part of a hiatal hernia as Barrett's.” Intestinal metaplasia from the cardia is fairly common, seen in about 20% of people undergoing routine endoscopy. Compared with Barrett's, its risk for progression to cancer is much lower.
What not to eat with Barrett's? ›
Avoiding trigger foods—such as chocolate, coffee, fried foods, peppermint, spicy foods, and carbonated beverages—can help reduce symptoms. These foods increase acid levels in the stomach. Doctors also recommend eating multiple small, frequent meals instead of a few large ones.
How often should you have an endoscopy if you have barrett's esophagus? ›
Surveillance endoscopy is recommended every three to five years for patients with Barrett esophagus without dysplasia, every six to 12 months for those with low-grade dysplasia, and every three months for those with high-grade dysplasia (if not eradicated).
What is the best medication for barrett's esophagus? ›
Proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) are drugs that block the three major pathways for acid production. PPIs suppress acid production much more effectively than H2 blockers. PPIs are the most effective medication for healing erosive esophagitis and providing long-term control of GERD symptoms.
Does Barrett's esophagus cause coughing? ›
Common symptoms of Barrett's esophagus include: Chest pain. Chronic cough. Difficulty swallowing food (dysphagia)
Can Barretts be diagnosed without biopsy? ›
The camera captures images of esophageal tissue and magnifies them to make individual cells visible on a computer screen in the doctor's office. Sometimes our specialists can identify precancerous cells in the esophagus using this technique. They may be able to diagnose Barrett's esophagus without performing a biopsy.
What is the average age of diagnosis for Barrett's esophagus? ›
Age — Barrett's esophagus is most commonly diagnosed in middle-aged and older adults; the average age at diagnosis is approximately 55 years. Children can develop Barrett's esophagus, but rarely before the age of five years. Gender — Men are more commonly diagnosed with Barrett's esophagus than women.
