The tracheoesophageal stripe is formed by the posterior wall of the
trachea
The trachea, also known as the windpipe, is a cartilaginous tube that connects the larynx to the bronchi of the lungs, allowing the passage of air, and so is present in almost all air- breathing animals with lungs. The trachea extends from the ...
and the anterior wall of the
esophagus
The esophagus ( American English) or oesophagus (British English; both ), non-technically known also as the food pipe or gullet, is an organ in vertebrates through which food passes, aided by peristaltic contractions, from the pharynx to ...
. This line is best identified on the lateral chest x-ray. When this line is greater than 5 mm it is considered abnormal.
The most common cause of a thickened tracheoesophageal stripe is
esophageal carcinoma, however,
lymphadenopathy likely cannot be excluded and further evaluation with additional imaging is recommended.
References
*http://www.meddean.luc.edu/lumen/MedEd/MEDICINE/PULMONAR/cxr/atlas/testripe1.htm
Human head and neck
{{digestive-stub