Diagnostic significance of periesophageal fat pad in ultrasonography for sliding hiatal hernias: sonographic fat pad sign.

The aim of the present study was to investigate the diagnostic significance of visualization of periesophageal fat pad in ultrasonography or computed tomography for sliding hiatal hernias. Forty-six controls and 21 esophageal hiatal hernia patients were compared in terms of sonographic and tomographic esophageal diameters. We suggest that absence of periesophageal fat pad sign in ultrasonography or computerized tomography is a noteworthy finding that calls for further investigation for the diagnosis of sliding hiatal hernias.