CT prediction of irresectability in esophageal carcinoma: value of additional patient positions and relation to patient outcome

Abstract

Additional patient positions do not improve the CT prediction of aortic invasion. Predicted resectability correlates with a significant longer life expectancy.

CT for local staging of esophageal cancer

“…The overall accuracy was 95.8 for bronchoscopy and there was a discordance between the results of CT and bronchoscopy of 40. Another study presented by van den Hoed et al in 1997 10 suggested that additional CT scans in the left lateral and prone position might improve spatial resolution. However, the results of the examinations suggested that local assessment is of no benefit in determining the potential invasion of a mass into the tracheobronchial tree.…”

Difference in Computed Tomography Image Quality between Central Vein and Peripheral Vein Enhancement in Treatment Naive Esophageal Cancer Patients

“…CT is used to clarify local invasiveness; however, the image quality varies according to when the scan is performed and the concentration of the intravascular contrast medium. In addition, CT uses spiral acquisitions that are reconstructed using computer software, and, thus, the image does not represent the actual disease status [19,20]. CT image quality has been correlated with injection flow [21].…”