title: Accuracy of hydro-multidetector row CT in the local T staging of oesophageal cancer compared to postoperative histopathological results.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the accuracy of multidetector computed tomography with water filling (Hydro-MDCT) in the T-staging of patients with oesophageal cancer.
  
  
  METHODS
  There were 131 consecutive patients who were preoperatively and prospectively examined in the prone position on arterial phase contrast-enhanced MDCT, after ingestion of 1,000-1,500 ml tap water and effervescent granules. Two readers staged the local tumour growth (T-staging) independently. They assessed tumour location, size, presence of stenosis, and morphology of the outer border of the oesophageal wall and perioesophageal fat planes on CT. CT findings were compared with histopathological results from resected specimens. Data were analyzed using the SPSS statistical package.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Both readers obtained a high sensitivity of 95% and a high positive predictive value of 96%. Accurate local staging was achieved in 76.3% and 68.7% for readers 1 and 2, respectively. Inter-reader agreement was excellent (weighted κ value of 0.93 and un-weighted κ of 0.89).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Using the hydro-technique and applying specific assessment criteria, MDCT appears to be an accurate, non-invasive diagnostic tool for local tumour staging of oesophageal cancer.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Medical University of Vienna, Waehringer Guertel 18-20, 1090 Vienna, Austria. ahmed.ba-ssalamah@meduniwien.ac.at
authors.forename: Ahmed
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ba-Ssalamah
authors.forename: Wolfgang
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Matzek
authors.forename: Susanne
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Baroud
authors.forename: Nina
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Bastati
authors.forename: Johannes
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zacherl
authors.forename: Sebastian F
authors.initials: SF
authors.lastname: Schoppmann
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hejna
authors.forename: Fritz
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Wrba
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Weber
authors.forename: Christian J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Herold
authors.forename: Richard M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Gore
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D004938:Esophageal Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D006652:Histological Techniques / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging / Q000379:methods; D015588:Observer Variation; D011184:Postoperative Period; D057234:Preoperative Period; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods*