Imaging of the Pharynx and the Esophagus

Often neglected or wrongfully discarded as obsolete, barium swallows still are a staple of the daily routine of radiology departments worldwide, serving as an important tool to support the clinical and endoscopic diagnosis of the upper gastrointestinal tract. Like other imaging methods, barium radiography and fluoroscopy have also undergone radical technological changes and upgrades. This book constitutes a seminal volume on the subject, easily accessible to junior graduate students and specialists, showcasing that before being a diagnostic tool of utmost importance, it is a form of art worth preserving and passing on to future generations. Covering sections such as oral and pharyngeal anatomy and an overview of clinical disorders, the basics of pharyngoesophageal endoscopy, CT, and MR imaging, as well as the art of interpreting the images, this book provides an extensive and well-illustrated guide to the morphodynamic imaging of pharynx and esophagus.

Key Features

• Underscores the value of the barium swallow study in the evaluation of the upper gastrointestinal tract in both routine and complex diagnostic scenarios
• Illustrates the technological advancements in imaging, such as radiographic and fluoroscopic techniques supplemented by digital imaging and improved contrast media
• Caters to both early career learners and experienced clinicians and offers a structured exploration of anatomy, pathology, and radiologic techniques

Giovanni Fontanella, MD FRSA MBSImPc, is an Abdominal and Gastrointestinal Consultant Radiolo-gist based in Benevento, Italy at the Sacro Cuore di Gesù - Fatebenefratelli Hospital. His Alma Mater is the historical Vanvitelli University in Naples, Italy, one of the most important schools for gastrointestinal imaging in Italy. The interest for GI and abdominal imaging was consolidated at the prestigious St. Mark’s Hospital in London, United Kingdom, a competitive and top-level environment. In Benevento, he conducts both clinical activity and research, with the focus on constant testing, inno-vation and optimisation of all imaging techniques to the needs of the clinical practice. He is currently working on further developments of gel-enhanced MR Fistulography, which was entirely developed and used in clinical routine for the first time at the Fatebenefratelli Hospital, Morphodynamic Imaging techniques in and pharyngo-oesophageal motility diseases and Virtual Colonoscopy. His academic record stands, at the time of writing, at over 40 top-level publications, most of them in the field of GI imaging, including the seminal book ’Morphodynamic Imaging in Achalasia’, with several participations as a speaker at international radiology meetings, such as the European Congress of Radiology (ECR 2019, 2020, 2021, 2024), Congress of the European Society of Gastrointestinal and Abdominal Imaging (ESGAR 2019, 2020), Annual Radiology Meeting in Dubai (2020, 2021). He works as a regular reviewer for several radiology journals, the European Journal of Radiology and Clinical Case Reports among them. Dr. Fontanella is a member of several Radiology Societies worldwide, such as the European Society of Radiology, European Society of Gastrointestinal and Abdominal Imaging, British Society of Gastrointestinal and Abdominal Imaging, Radiological Society of North America, Korean Society of Radiology. He regularly hosts GI themed seminars for the Radiological Society of the Emirates. In 2021, dr. Fontanella was nominated Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts in London, while in 2023 he got recognised as a registered clinician for the Modified Barium Swallow Impairment Profile.