Abstract：
BACKGROUND: Upper oesophageal sphincter (UES) serves as an important anatomical and functional landmark during swallowing. However, the precise UES location before and during swallowing has not been well established.
OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to determine upper oesophageal sphincter (UES) location and displacement during swallowing accounting for sex, age, and height in healthy adults using 320-row area detector computed tomography (320-ADCT).
METHODS: Ninety-four healthy adults (43 males; 22-90 years) underwent 320-ADCT scanning while swallowing one trial of 10 mL honey thick barium. UES location at bolus hold and at maximum displacement and vertical displacement during swallowing were identified using the coordinates and the section classification of vertebrae (VERT scale). The differences and correlations of UES location and distance in terms of sex, age, and height were analysed using Mann-Whitney U test and Spearman\'s correlation coefficient.
RESULTS: UES locations at bolus hold and at maximum displacement were significantly lower and UES vertical displacement was significantly larger in males than in females (p < .001). UES location at bolus hold became lower with increasing age (r = -.312, p = .002), but the negative correlation was low at maximum displacement (r = -.230, p = .026), resulting in larger vertical distance with ageing. UES locations showed high negative correlation at bolus hold with height (r = -.715, p < .001), and showed moderate negative correlation at maximum displacement with height (r = -.555, p < .001), although this effect was unclear when analysed by sex.
CONCLUSIONS: Males showed lower UES location and larger displacement than females. The impact of age was evident with lower location before swallowing and larger displacement during swallowing. Differences observed by sex were not completely explained by using the VERT scale to adjust for height.
OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to determine upper oesophageal sphincter (UES) location and displacement during swallowing accounting for sex, age, and height in healthy adults using 320-row area detector computed tomography (320-ADCT).
METHODS: Ninety-four healthy adults (43 males; 22-90 years) underwent 320-ADCT scanning while swallowing one trial of 10 mL honey thick barium. UES location at bolus hold and at maximum displacement and vertical displacement during swallowing were identified using the coordinates and the section classification of vertebrae (VERT scale). The differences and correlations of UES location and distance in terms of sex, age, and height were analysed using Mann-Whitney U test and Spearman\'s correlation coefficient.
RESULTS: UES locations at bolus hold and at maximum displacement were significantly lower and UES vertical displacement was significantly larger in males than in females (p < .001). UES location at bolus hold became lower with increasing age (r = -.312, p = .002), but the negative correlation was low at maximum displacement (r = -.230, p = .026), resulting in larger vertical distance with ageing. UES locations showed high negative correlation at bolus hold with height (r = -.715, p < .001), and showed moderate negative correlation at maximum displacement with height (r = -.555, p < .001), although this effect was unclear when analysed by sex.
CONCLUSIONS: Males showed lower UES location and larger displacement than females. The impact of age was evident with lower location before swallowing and larger displacement during swallowing. Differences observed by sex were not completely explained by using the VERT scale to adjust for height.
摘要：
背景：食管上括约肌（UES）是吞咽过程中重要的解剖和功能标志。然而,吞咽前和吞咽过程中的确切UES位置尚未确定。
目的：本研究旨在确定吞咽过程中食管上括约肌（UES）的位置和位移，年龄,使用320排区域探测器计算机断层扫描（320-ADCT）的健康成年人的身高和身高。
方法：94名健康成年人（43名男性；22-90岁）接受320-ADCT扫描，同时吞咽一项10mL蜂蜜厚钡的试验。使用椎骨的坐标和截面分类（VERT量表）确定了推注保持以及吞咽过程中最大位移和垂直位移的UES位置。UES位置和距离在性别方面的差异和相关性，年龄,身高采用曼-惠特尼U检验和斯皮尔曼相关系数进行分析。
结果：男性的UES位置和最大位移位置明显低于女性（p<.001）。随着年龄的增长，推注保持处的UES位置变得更低(r=-.312，p=.002)，但在最大位移处负相关较低(r=-.230，p=.026)，随着老化，导致更大的垂直距离。UES位置与身高呈高度负相关（r=-.715，p<.001），最大位移与高度呈中度负相关（r=-.555，p<.001），尽管按性别分析时，这种影响尚不清楚。
结论：男性的UES位置比女性低，位移大。吞咽前位置较低，吞咽过程中位移较大，年龄影响明显。通过使用VERT量表来调整身高，无法完全解释按性别观察到的差异。
目的：本研究旨在确定吞咽过程中食管上括约肌（UES）的位置和位移，年龄,使用320排区域探测器计算机断层扫描（320-ADCT）的健康成年人的身高和身高。
方法：94名健康成年人（43名男性；22-90岁）接受320-ADCT扫描，同时吞咽一项10mL蜂蜜厚钡的试验。使用椎骨的坐标和截面分类（VERT量表）确定了推注保持以及吞咽过程中最大位移和垂直位移的UES位置。UES位置和距离在性别方面的差异和相关性，年龄,身高采用曼-惠特尼U检验和斯皮尔曼相关系数进行分析。
结果：男性的UES位置和最大位移位置明显低于女性（p<.001）。随着年龄的增长，推注保持处的UES位置变得更低(r=-.312，p=.002)，但在最大位移处负相关较低(r=-.230，p=.026)，随着老化，导致更大的垂直距离。UES位置与身高呈高度负相关（r=-.715，p<.001），最大位移与高度呈中度负相关（r=-.555，p<.001），尽管按性别分析时，这种影响尚不清楚。
结论：男性的UES位置比女性低，位移大。吞咽前位置较低，吞咽过程中位移较大，年龄影响明显。通过使用VERT量表来调整身高，无法完全解释按性别观察到的差异。
