Tantalum esophagography was performed on 15 cats with peptic esophagitis of 3 days’ duration. The esophagograms demonstrated segmental esophageal narrowing in 8 animals. In addition, wide longitudinal folds and irregularity of luminal contour were shown in 10 animals and discrete superficial ulceration in 4 animals. These latter findings are usually not present on esophagograms obtained with liquid barium. Lateral roentgenograms of the chest obtained 1 to 4 days after tantalum insufflation demonstrated retained tantalum, oriented in linear streaks. On histologic examination, tantalum was seen to be entrapped in inflammatory infiltrate covering areas of ulceration. Insufflated powdered tantalum not only facilitated the roentgenographic demonstration of subtle findings in esophagitis, but also labeled inflammatory infiltrate covering areas of ulceration.
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Goldberg et al. (1970) studied this question.