title: [Value of preoperative barium contrast examination for the diagnosis and operative planning in gastric cancer].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the value of preoperative barium contrast examination for the diagnosis and operative planning in gastric cancer.
  
  
  METHODS
  Clinical data of 229 gastric cancer patients were analyzed retrospectively. Lesions were divided into three parts: the cardiac, the body, and the antrum. The diagnostic accuracy of localization and the extent of tumor between gastroscopy alone and gastroscopy plus barium contrast were compared with the results of surgical findings.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The diagnostic accuracy of localization and the extent of tumor for gastroscopy in the cardiac, the body and the antrum cancers were 100% and 78.4%, 94.6% and 86.5%, 98.1% and 84.6%, respectively, while for gastroscopy plus barium contrast were 100% and 84.8%, 100% and 91.9%, 99.0% and 90.4%, respectively. The diagnostic accuracy of both the localization and the extent of tumor were not significantly different between gastroscopy alone and gastroscopy plus barium contrast (P>0.05). Diagnostic accuracy of the length of esophagus infiltrated by cardiac cancer in gastroscopy was 60.6%, while in gastroscopy plus barium contrast was 90.9%, which was significantly different (P<0.05). Gastroscopy plus barium contrast was more accurate in predicting the possibility of thoracotomy in cardiac cancer infiltrating the lower esophagus.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  It is necessary to perform preoperative barium contrast examination in cardiac cancer patients, so as to identify whether the lower esophagus is infiltrated and to measure the length of lesion, which can provide evidences for making a decision of thoracotomy. For gastric body and antrum cancer, there is no indication for barium contrast examination if gastroscopy findings are satisfied.
authors.affiliation: Department of Abdominal Surgery, Cancer Hospital, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China.
authors.forename: Chang-jian
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Guang-fa
authors.initials: GF
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: Qing-guo
authors.initials: QG
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Jing-gui
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Kai
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.forename: Ying-qiang
authors.initials: YQ
authors.lastname: Shi
authors.forename: Hong
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Fu
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D001464:Barium; D003287:Contrast Media; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011859:Radiography; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery
chemical_list: D003287:Contrast Media; D001464:Barium