Circumferential Locations of Different Shapes of Short-segment Barrett's Esophagus

OBJECTIVE: To clarify the relationship between the shape and circumferential location of non-circumferential short-segment Barrett's esophagus (SSBE). METHODS: We examined 3,788 subjects (2,497 males, 1,291 females; mean age 52.4 years) who underwent upper GI endoscopy as part of a detailed medical checkup. The presence of columnar-appearing mucosa ≥10 mm long in the distal esophagus was diagnosed as BE and then divided into circumferential and non-circumferential localized types. Localized SSBE was further divided into round and sharp types based on the shape of the proximal margin. RESULTS: SSBE was endoscopically observed in 197 subjects (5.2%). The numbers of patients with circumferential SSBE, round localized SSBE, and sharp localized SSBE were 38, 114 and 69, respectively. Round and sharp types of localized SSBE were simultaneously observed in 25 patients. Reflux esophagitis was more frequently observed in subjects with BE, regardless of type, in comparison to those without BE. Round localized SSBE was found mainly in the left posterior wall of the esophagus in a location similar to the main area of the esophageal cardiac glands. In contrast, sharp localized SSBE was observed mainly in the right anterior wall of the esophagus in a location similar to that of esophageal mucosal injury caused by mild type reflux esophagitis. CONCLUSION: The location differs between round and sharp localized SSBE, possibly due to differences in the process of BE development.