70 year-old woman with longstanding gastroesophageal reflux. Although the
squamocolumnar junction (dotted line in photo at right) lies within 1 cm of the
esophagogastric junction, biopsies obtained just below the squamocolumnar
junction revealed specialized metaplastic epithelium (intestinal metaplasia),
diagnostic of Barrett's disease.
Another patient with longstanding gastroesophageal reflux, where the
squamocolumnar junction (dotted line in photo at right) lies within 1 cm of the
esophagogastric junction, and appears normal. Again, biopsies obtained just
below the squamocolumnar junction revealed specialized metaplastic epithelium
with goblet cells (intestinal metaplasia), diagnostic of Barrett's disease.
Left: 63 year-old man with a long history of reflux disease. Endoscopy
revealed asymmetric migration of metaplastic epithelium upward into the
esophagus. Biopsies confirmed the presence of intestinal metaplasia. Right:
76 year-old woman with longstanding heartburn. Endoscopy demonstrated a short
segment of Barrett's, confirmed on biopsy.