title: Preoperative local staging of esophageal carcinoma using dual-phase contrast-enhanced imaging with multi-detector row computed tomography: value of the arterial phase images.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate whether the accuracy of local extension (T-staging) of esophageal carcinoma could be improved with addition of arterial phase images by use of multi-detector row computed tomography.
  
  
  METHODS
  The institutional review board approved this study, and all the subjects provided informed consent. Dual-phase (the arterial and venous phases) contrast-enhanced computed tomography was performed in 45 consecutive patients (39 men and 6 women; age range, 47-84 years) with 47 lesions of esophageal carcinoma who underwent surgical intervention. Two radiologists independently evaluated the T-staging of esophageal carcinoma on both phases. The T-staging on both the arterial and venous phase images was compared with the T-staging at histologic evaluation by means of a resected specimen (as the reference standard). Differences in the overall accuracy and sensitivity for the T-staging between the 2 phases were analyzed with the McNemar test.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The analysis of the interobserver agreement for T-staging showed almost perfect agreement (kappa = 0.85 on the arterial phase and kappa = 0.93 on the venous phase). The overall accuracy in the arterial phase was significantly better than that in the venous phase (68% vs 51%, P < 0.01). The sensitivity values of the T-staging in the arterial phase were 0% in T1a, 71.4% in T1b, 12.5% in T2, 89.5% in T3, and 100% in T4. The sensitivity values in the venous phase were 0% in T1a, 14.3% in T1b, 0% in T2, 94.7% in T3, and 100% in T4. Statistical significance was apparent in the sensitivity of the T1b lesions.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The arterial phase can improve the accuracy of T-staging of esophageal carcinomas, especially early-staged lesions.
authors.affiliation: Department of Diagnostic Imaging and Nuclear Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan. umeoka@kuhp.kyoto-u.ac.jp
authors.forename: Shigeaki
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Umeoka
authors.forename: Takashi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Koyama
authors.forename: Go
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Watanabe
authors.forename: Tsuneo
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Saga
authors.forename: Masako
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kataoka
authors.forename: Kaori
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Togashi
authors.forename: Hiroto
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hatabu
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D004938:Esophageal Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007089:Image Enhancement; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging / Q000379:methods*; D015588:Observer Variation; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods*