Areae gastricae

Last revised by Daniel J Bell on 18 Dec 2019

Citation, DOI, disclosures and article data

Citation:

Morgan M, Bell D, Knipe H, Areae gastricae. Reference article, Radiopaedia.org (Accessed on 19 Apr 2024) https://doi.org/10.53347/rID-38488

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.53347/rID-38488

Permalink:

https://radiopaedia.org/articles/38488

rID:

38488

Article created:

21 Jul 2015, Matt A. Morgan ◉

Disclosures:

At the time the article was created Matt A. Morgan had no recorded disclosures.

View Matt A. Morgan's current disclosures

Last revised:

18 Dec 2019, Daniel J Bell ◉

Disclosures:

At the time the article was last revised Daniel J Bell had no recorded disclosures.

View Daniel J Bell's current disclosures

Revisions:

3 times, by 3 contributors - see full revision history and disclosures

Systems:

Gastrointestinal

Tags:

double contrast fluoroscopy, stomach, normal variant, barium, cases

Areae gastricae are a normal finding on double contrast images of the stomach.

Radiographic features

fine reticular network of barium-coated grooves between 1-5 mm islands/areas of gastric mucosa
may be seen in ~70-80% of patients if there is adequate high-density barium coating of the stomach
more visible in older patients ²

Related pathology

Although a normal finding, some think that prominence of the areae gastricae indicates a thinning of the normal mucus layer (thus allowing barium to coat the fine channels between the areas of gastric mucosa). Some suggest that there may be an association between thinning of the normal mucus layer, coarsened-appearing areae gastricae, and hypersecretory gastropathy ⁴.

Small or absent area gastricae may be seen in atrophic gastritis ⁵.