Aspiration Lung Abscess

• Aspiration lung abscess is one common mode of presentation of esophageal disease.
• Absence of symptoms related to esophagus is common.
• Consider esophageal disease, whenever lung abscess is not associated with altered sensorium and abscess is located in an atypical location.

Inlet to Outlet Shadow

Whenever you see an inlet to outlet shadow in the mediastinum on right side, consider esophageal dilatation .

Inhomogeniety of Cardiac Density

Cardiac density should be uniform except in areas overlying vertebral and descending aorta. If the right half of cardiac shadow appears more dense, one of the considerations should be dilated esophagus.

Thickening of Tracheoesophageal Stripe

Thickening of tracheo-esophageal stripe should raise suspicion of esophageal disease.

Air Fluid Level

One of the causes of air-fluid level in mediastinum is obstruction to esophagus. The location of air-fluid level is behind trachea and is easy to recognize it in the lateral view.