OBJECTIVE: Comparative study of receptiveness (cooperation) and sensitivity of upper gastrointestinal series and intraabdominal esophagus ultrasonography in patients with suspicion of gastroesophageal reflux. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The present study included 42 pediatric patients (26 male, with mean age of 33.64 ± 34.33 months, and 16 female, with mean age of 31.02 ± 35.56 months) with suspicion of gastroesophageal reflux, who were initially submitted to upper gastrointestinal series and subsequently to intraabdominal esophagus ultrasonography. RESULTS: The statistical comparative analysis covering sexes and ages suggests no evidence of association with cooperation, both for the upper gastrointestinal series and the intraabdominal esophagus ultrasonography. However, in the classification of the patients' cooperation, the technique of upper gastrointestinal series presented less than 50% of cooperation, while 80.49% of patients cooperated in the intraabdominal esophagus ultrasonography examinations. As regards the methods sensitivity for the diagnosis of gastroesophageal reflux, the technique of intraabdominal esophagus ultrasonography was significantly superior (85.7%) to the upper gastrointestinal series (47.6%). CONCLUSION: The present study suggests that an intraabdominal esophagus ultrasonography should be performed even if gastroesophageal reflux even if it is not detected at the upper gastrointestinal series.

Keywords: Gastroesophageal reflux, Intraabdominal esophagus, Ultrasonography, Contrast-enhanced study