@article{oai:kanazawa-u.repo.nii.ac.jp:00013525,
 author = {Nakajima, Kenichi and Hasegawa, Minoru and Inaki, Anri and Wakabayashi, Hiroshi and Hosoya, Tetsuo and Takahara, Kazuhiko and Kinuya, Seigo},
 issue = {5},
 journal = {Annals of Nuclear Medicine},
 month = {Jun},
 note = {Purpose: Esophageal complication is common in systemic sclerosis (SSc), but scintigraphic transit patterns based on each subtype have not been understood well. The aim of this study was to develop a new algorithm for integrating a dynamic esophageal transit study and to apply the method to patients with SSc. Methods: A total of 40 patients suspected of having SSc were examined by a dynamic esophageal transit study. The subtypes included 32 with definite SSc (15 limited cutaneous type and 17 diffuse cutaneous type) and 8 with probable SSc. The serial esophageal images were shifted and summed to a functional image (sliding sum image) and compared to a conventional condensed image analysis. Esophageal retention fraction at 90 s (R90) and half-time (T1/2) of transit were also measured. Results: The four patterns of the sliding sum image and condensed image agreed in all patients. Abnormal retention patterns were observed in none of the 8 (0%) patients with the probable SSc and in 15 of 32 (47%) patients with definite SSc (p = 0.014). The severity of scleroderma assessed by modified Rodnan skin thickness score correlated with that of esophageal retention R90 (p = 0.04). Conclusion: The sliding sum image is a simple and effective method for integrating esophageal transit. Patients with definite SSc and severe scleroderma had significantly higher retention patterns, while probable SSc patients showed no esophageal dysmotility. © 2011 The Japanese Society of Nuclear Medicine., 金沢大学医薬保健研究域医学系},
 pages = {325--331},
 title = {Esophageal transit study using a sliding sum image: application to patients with probable and definite systemic sclerosis},
 volume = {25},
 year = {2011}
}