Modern diagnostic evaluation and preoperative staging of esophageal cancer.
Esophageal carcinoma is a highly lethal disease with a dismal prognosis. Essential elements in the diagnosis of esophageal cancer are: a high index of suspicion; adequate knowledge of the precancerous conditions; optimal radiological examination; expert endoscopy with multiple biopsies and/or cytology; final staging including endoscopic ultrasonography, CT scan, MRI and, whenever appropriate, laryngo-bronchoscopy and ultrasonography with cytological puncture of cervical lymph nodes. This overview mainly concentrates on X-ray, endoscopy, endosonography and CT scanning. At present the routine use of MRI for preoperative staging cannot be recommended.
Academic Medical Centre, Department of Gastroenterology-Hepatology, Amsterdam Zuidoost, The Netherlands.
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Tytgat
D001706:Biopsy; D003952:Diagnostic Imaging; D004938:Esophageal Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology*; D004945:Esophagoscopy; D006801:Humans; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000473:pathology; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011230:Precancerous Conditions / Q000473:pathology*; D011300:Preoperative Care