title: Three-dimensional CT imaging and virtual endoscopy for the placement of self-expandable stents in oesophageal and tracheobronchial neoplastic stenoses.
abstract: We examined the value of multislice computed tomography (CT) with three-dimensional (3D) reconstruction of the images as a pre-treatment examination in order to plan endoluminal stenting in 14 patients with large tumours involving the oesophagus and/or the tracheobronchial tree. The measurement of the stenosis obtained during 3D reconstruction of the CT images corresponded to that obtained by endoscopy and to the prosthesis chosen in all cases, with the exception of one patient undergoing double stenting due to inadequate gaseous distension of the oesophageal lumen. 3D CT may add information with respect to axial imaging, and be helpful to better plan and perform stenting of the oesophagus and airways without burdening the preoperative work-up.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Intensive Care and Transplants, Centre for the Study and Therapy of Diseases of the Oesophagus, University of Bologna, Via Massarenti 9, 40138 Bologna, Italy.
authors.forename: M P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Di Simone
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mattioli
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: D'Ovidio
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Bassi
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001984:Bronchial Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery; D004724:Endoscopy; D004938:Esophageal Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010166:Palliative Care / Q000379:methods*; D015607:Stents; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods*; D014134:Tracheal Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery