Esophageal Dilatation as a Predictor of Systemic Sclerosis in Patients with Interstitial Lung Disease.

Objective: To determine the predictive value of esophageal dilatation as observed in high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT) for the diagnosis of systemic sclerosis (SSc) in patients with interstitial lung disease (ILD).

Methods: Our sample consisted of patients diagnosed with SSc and proven interstitial lung involvement with available HRCT exams (n = 20). Individuals with other forms of rheumatic ILD were included as a control group (n = 20).