Esophageal cancer staging: the role of radiology.
In esophageal cancer staging, the radiologic approach is represented by tumor identification, preoperative staging, and re-staging after neoadjuvant therapies. At present, while barium radiography shows a high sensitivity for early and advanced tumors, endoscopy is always necessary for confirmation. CT and MRI are the gold standard for preoperative staging of advanced (T4) esophageal cancer and for evaluation of distant metastasis; however they still show a low sensitivity in the study of possible regional lymph node involvement, in differentiating residual disease and scarring; in particular the esophageal wall cannot be carefully examined.
Caputo
Francesco Maria
FM
Istituto di Radiologia, Uniuersità Cattolica del S. Cuore, Policlinico A. Gemelli, Roma Scuola di Specializzazione in Radiodiagnostica, Italy.
Buquicchio
Grazia Loretta
GL
D001466:Barium Sulfate; D003287:Contrast Media; D004938:Esophageal Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D009367:Neoplasm Staging / Q000379:methods*; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed
D003287:Contrast Media; D001466:Barium Sulfate