Multichannel Intraluminal Impedance for Evaluation of Esophageal Function

Traditional diagnostic evaluation of esophageal symptoms in patients with swallowing dysfunction consists of a combined approach: Manometry is the gold standard for assessment of peristalsis, and contraction amplitudes and radiologic testing are the standard for assessment of bolus transit. Multichannel intraluminal impedance (MII) has been purported to allow testing of both functional peristalsis and bolus transit. MII uses relative changes in esophageal impedance induced by air or a bolus of food or liquid to determine intrasophageal bolus transit. Researchers evaluated esophageal function using MII in 70 patients with manometric diagnoses of ineffective esophageal motility (IEM). IEM was defined as ≥30% liquid swallows with contraction a…