Step 1: Diffuse esophageal spasm is a motility disorder marked by repetitive, simultaneous, non-peristaltic contractions of the esophageal body.
Step 2: These uncoordinated contractions indent the barium column, producing the classic radiological appearances described as corkscrew esophagus, curling esophagus, or pseudodiverticulosis. The patient presents with substernal chest pain and intermittent dysphagia, and the diagnosis is confirmed by manometry.
Step 3: The distractors give different patterns. Carcinoma esophagus produces an irregular stricture or shouldering, achalasia cardia shows a smooth tapering bird-beak narrowing at the lower end with proximal dilatation, and scleroderma causes a dilated aperistaltic esophagus with a patulous lower sphincter. None of these gives the corkscrew look.
Step 4: Hence corkscrew esophagus is seen in diffuse esophageal spasm.