Barrett's esophagus screening and diagnosis

Frequent heartburn, acid reflux and/or gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) may cause permanent damage to the esophageal lining. The cells that line the esophagus may change over time, and they sometimes become cancerous.

If you often experience these symptoms, you may benefit from the comprehensive screening options we offer in our If you often experience these symptoms, you may benefit from the comprehensive screening options we offer in our Barrett’s esophagus treatment program. At CTCA®, our experts recommend screening for Barrett’s esophagus for people who have both:. At CTCA®, our experts recommend screening for Barrett’s esophagus for people who have both:

• Weekly, chronic symptoms of GERD (at least once a week for five years or more)
• Two or more additional risk factors for Barrett’s esophagus

The risk factors for Barrett’s esophagus are:

• Age over 50
• History of smoking or current smoking habits
• Obesity or excess weight, especially around the abdomen (belly)
• White (Caucasian) ethnic background

To diagnose Barrett’s esophagus, a CTCA gastroenterologist will meet with you to discuss:

• Your personal medical history and lifestyle
• Your family’s medical history
• Any symptoms you have, such as heartburn or difficulty swallowing

If you’re at risk for Barrett’s esophagus, you may need further testing, which may include:

• Upper endoscopy to look inside the esophagus
• Biopsy, which takes a small sample of esophageal tissue so an expert can examine the cells under a microscope

Normal esophageal tissue is smooth and pale. But with Barrett’s esophagus, the lining appears irregular and reddish, resembling cells in the lining of the intestines.

Our gastroenterologists and pathologists have training and experience in identifying these abnormal cell changes, called dysplasia. A gastroenterologist is a doctor who specializes in disorders of the digestive system. A pathologist is a doctor who is an expert at examining tissue.

Dysplastic cells are not necessarily malignant (cancerous), but they may become cancerous. Our Barrett’s esophagus team will determine whether your cells have:

• No dysplasia, indicating healthy, unchanged cells
• Low-grade dysplasia
• Intermediate dysplasia
• High-grade dysplasia, which may soon change into cancer

Our team will consider the level of dysplasia when diagnosing Barrett’s esophagus and recommending what happens next.

If your CTCA care team diagnoses Barrett’s esophagus, we’ll also measure how much of the lining is affected.

The esophagus is about 25 to 33 cm (10 to 13 inches) long. Short-segment Barrett’s esophagus affects less than 3 cm (about 1.2 inches) of the lining. Long-segment Barrett’s affects more than 3 cm.

The longer the segment, the more likely that Barrett's may become esophageal cancer. Our team will consider the length of Barrett’s segment in developing a plan to monitor and treat the condition.