Esophageal carcinoma: CT findings.

Abstract

Preoperative CT [computed tomography] scans of 33 patients with esophageal cancer were reviewed to assess staging accuracy and to define the role of CT in patients being considered for transhiatal blunt esophagectomy. Surgical and pathological verification was obtained in all cases. Only 13 tumors were staged correctly according to the TNM [tumor-nodes-metastasis] classification. In addition, CT was not useful in assessing resectability because of its low accuracy in evaluating aortic invasion and because of the fact that few patients had tracheobronchial or aortic invasion or hepatic metastases at presentation.