Radiographic features of eosinophilic gastroenteritis (allergic gastroenteropathy) of childhood.

The child with eosinophilic gastroenteritis has failure to thrive, a history of allergy or asthma, iron deficiency anemia, and peripheral eosinophilia. This type of eosinophilic gastroenteritis has earned the designation "allergic gastroenteropathy." Pathologic change in the gastric antrum of six children with this disease correlated with an abnormal air-contrast examination of the antrum. The affected children had an irregular, lacy, antral surface rather than the smooth, bald surface seen in normal children. The small bowel in allergic gastroenteropathy is usually abnormal but nonspecific as to etiology. Much more specific is the combination of small bowel and gastric antral abnormalities. Findings encourage air-contrast radiography of the antrum in children with suspected allergic gastroenteropathy.