Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in
Book cover

Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma pp 35–61Cite as

Diagnostic Imaging of the Esophageal Cancer

  • Chapter
  • First Online:

Abstract

Diagnostic imaging can play an important role in detecting and staging esophageal cancer. Current diagnostic workup consists of barium esophagography, endoscopy/endoscopic ultrasonography (EUS), computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and positron emission tomography (PET). CT, EUS, MRI, and PET should be considered complementary modalities. In combination, they are crucial to determine the most appropriate treatment for patients with esophageal cancer.

This chapter describes the diagnostic imaging, mainly of CT and MRI, and relevant anatomy of the esophagus for clinical decision-making with regard to esophageal cancers. EUS precisely shows tumor invasion mainly localized in the esophageal wall (defined as T1–3). On the other hand, cross-sectional imaging such as CT and MRI are useful to detect tumor invasion to the adjacent structures beyond the adventitia (defined as T4). Currently, regional lymph node metastases are evaluated using EUS, CT, and/or FDG-PET. Detection of metastatic lymphadenopathies on CT depends primarily on nodal size (size criteria) although size is known to be an insensitive parameter. MRI’s role to assess regional nodal metastasis is limited so far. CT is currently the best diagnostic method to detect metastases.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution.

Chapter
USD   29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD   89.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD   119.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD   169.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Learn about institutional subscriptions

References

  1. American Joint Committee on Cancer, Edge SB, et al. AJCC cancer staging manual. 7th ed. New York: Springer-Verlag; 2010.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  2. Mancuso AA. Cervical esophagus. In: Mancuso AA, editor. Head and neck radiology. Philadelphia: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, a Wolters Kluwer; 2011.

    Google Scholar 

  3. Hasegawa N, Niwa Y, Arisawa T, et al. Preoperative staging of superficial esophageal carcinoma: comparison of an ultrasound probe and standard endoesopic ultrasonography. Gastrointest Endosc. 1996;39:388–92.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. Postlethwait RW. Carcinoma of the thoracic esophagus. Surg Clin North Am. 1983;63:933–40.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  5. Kim TJ, Kim HY, Lee KW, et al. Multimodality assessment of esophageal cancer: preoperative staging and monitoring of response to therapy. Radiographics. 2009;29:403–21.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  6. Levine MS, Rubesin SE. Diseases of the esophagus: diagnosis with esophagography. Radiology. 2005;237:414–27.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  7. The Japan Esophageal Society. Japanese classification of esophageal cancer. 10th ed. Tokyo: Kanehara Co. Ltd; 2008.

    Google Scholar 

  8. Levine MS, Chu P, Furth EE, et al. Carcinoma of the esophagus and esophagogastric junction: sensitivity of radiographic diagnosis. AJR Am J Roentgenol. 1997;168:1423–6.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  9. Levine MS, Halvorsen RA. Esophageal carcinoma. In: Core RM, Levine MS, Laufer I, editors. Textbook of gastrointestinal radiology. Philadelphia: WB Saunders Co; 1994.

    Google Scholar 

  10. Wakelin SJ, Deans C, Crofts TJ, et al. A comparison of computerized tomography, laparoscopic ultrasound and endoscopic ultrasound in the preoperative staging of oesophagogastric carcinoma. Eur J Radiol. 2002;41:161–7.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  11. Preston ST, Clark GW, Martin IG, et al. Effect of endoscopic ultrasonography on the management of 100 consecutive patients with oesophageal and junctional carcinoma. Br J Surg. 2003;90:1220–4.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  12. Holsher AH, Dittler HJ, Siewert JR. Staging of squamous esophageal cancer: accuracy and value. World J Surg. 1994;18:312–20.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  13. van den Hoed RD, Feldberg MAM, van Leeuwen MS, et al. CT prediction of irresectability in esophageal carcinoma: value of additional patient positions and relation to patient outcome. Abdom Imaging. 1997;22:132–7.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  14. Thompson WM, Halvorsen RA, Foster WL Jr, et al. Computed tomography for staging esophageal and gastroesophgaeal cancer: reevaluation. AJR Am J Roentgenol. 1983;141:951–8.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  15. Halvorsen RA Jr, Thompson WM. Computed tomographic staging of gastrointestinal malignancies. I. Esophagus and stomach. Investig Radiol. 1987;22:2–16.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  16. Umeoka S, Koyama T, Togashi K, et al. Esophageal cancer: evaluation with triple-phase dynamic CT - initial experience. Radiology. 2006;239:777–83.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  17. Umeoka S, Okada T, Daido S, et al. “Early esophageal rim enhancement”: a new sign of esophageal cancer on dynamic CT. Eur J Radiol. 2013;82:459–63.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  18. Yoon YC, Lee KS, Shim YM, et al. Metastasis to regional lymph nodes in patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma: CT versus FDG PET for presurgical detection prospective study. Radiology. 2003;227:764–70.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  19. Desai RK, Tagliabue JR, Wegryn SA, et al. CT evaluation of wall thickening in the alimentary tract. Radiographics. 1991;11:771–83.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  20. Xia F, Mao J, Ding J, Yang H. Observation of normal appearance and wall thickness of esophagus on CT images. Eur J Radiol. 2009;72:406–11.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  21. Liao ZX, Liu H, Komaki R. Target delineation for esophageal cancer. J Women’s Imaging. 2003;5:177–86.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  22. Moss AA, Schnyder P, Thoeni RF, et al. Esophageal carcinoma: pretherapy staging by computed tomography. Am J Roentgenol. 1981;136:1051–6.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  23. Noh HM, Fishman EK, Forastiere AA, et al. CT of the esophagus: spectrum of disease with emphasis on esophageal carcinoma. Radiographics. 1995;15:1113–34.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  24. Van Rossum PSN, van Hillegersberg R, Lever FM, et al. Imaging strategies in the management of oesophageal cancer: what’s the role of MRI? Eur Radiol. 2013;23:1753–65.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  25. Picus D, Balfe DM, Koehler RE, et al. Computed tomography in the staging of esophageal carcinoma. Radiology. 1983;46:433–8.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  26. Lehr L, Rupp N, Siewert JR. Assessment of resectability of esophageal cancer by computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging. Surgery. 1988;103:344–50.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  27. Takashima S, Takeuchi N, Shiozaki H, et al. Carcinoma of the esophagus: CT vs MR imaging in determining resectability. AJR Am J Roentgenol. 1991;156:297–302.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  28. Quint LE, Bogot NR. Staging esophageal cancer. Cancer Imaging. 2008;8:S33–42. Sepec No A

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  29. Lefor AT, Merino MM, Steinberg SM, et al. Computerized tomographic prediction of extraluminal spread and prognostic implications of lesion width in esophageal cancer (abstr). Radiology. 1989;171:290.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  30. Ruf G, Brobmann GF, Grosser G, et al. Wert der Computer-tomographie fur die Beurteiling der lokalen Operabilitat und die chirurgische Verfahrenswahl beim Oesophagus-carcinoom. Langenbecks Arch Chir. 1985;365:157–68.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  31. Ogawa Y, Nischiyama K, Ikesoe J, et al. Preoperative assessment of tumor invasions of the intrathoracic esophageal carcinoma. In: Siewert JR, Holscher AH, editors. Diseases of the esophagus. 1st ed. New York: Springer; 1987. p. 203–6.

    Google Scholar 

  32. Sakurada A, Takahara T, Kwee IC, et al. Diagnostic performance of diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging in esophageal cancer. Eur Radiol. 2009;19:1461–9.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  33. Iyer RB, Silverman PM, Tamm EP, et al. Imaging in oncology from the University of Texas M.D. Anderson cancer center. Diagnosis, staging, and follow-up of esophageal cancer. AJR Am J Roentgenol. 2003;181:785–93.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  34. Block MI, Patterson GA, Sundaresan RS, et al. Improvement in staging of esophageal cancer with the addition of positron emission tomography. Ann Thorac Surg. 1997;64:770–7.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  35. Kato H, Kuwano H, Nakajima M, et al. Comparison between positron emission tomography and computed tomography in the use of the assessment of esophageal carcinoma. Cancer. 2002;94:921–8.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  36. Van Vliet EP, Heijenbrok-Kal MH, Hunink MG, et al. Staging investigation for oesophageal cancer: a meta-analysis. Br J Cancer. 2008;98:547–57.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  37. Van Westreenen HL, Westerterp M, Bossuyt PM, et al. Systematic review of the staging performance of 18F-fluiorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography in esophageal cancer. J Clin Oncol. 2004;22:3805–12.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  38. Quint LE, Hepbum LM, Francis IR, et al. Incidence and distribution of distant metastases from newly diagnosed esophageal carcinoma. Cancer. 1995;76:1120–5.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  39. Mandard AM, Chasle J, Marnay J, et al. Autopsy findings in 111 cases of esophageal cancer. Cancer. 1981;48:329–35.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  40. Flanagan FL, Dehdashti F, Siegel BA, et al. Staging of esophageal cancer with 18F-fluirodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography. AJR Am J Roentgenol. 1997;168:417–24.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  41. Flamen P, Lerut A, Van Cutsem E, et al. Utility of positron emission tomography for the staging of patients with potentially operable esophageal carcinoma. J Clin Oncol. 2000;18:3202–10.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  42. Downey RJ, Akhurst T, Ilson D, et al. Whole body 18FDG-PET and the response of esophageal cancer to induction therapy: results of the prospective trial. J Clin Oncol. 2003;21:428.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  43. Rice TW. Clinical staging of esophageal carcinoma. CT, EUS, and PET. Chest Surg Clin N Am. 2000;10:471–85.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  44. Carlisle JG, Quint LE, Francis IR, et al. Recurrent esophageal carcinoma: CT evaluation after esophagectomy. Radiology. 1993;189:271–5.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Radiology, The Jikei University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan

    Hiroya Ojiri

Authors
  1. Hiroya Ojiri
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Hiroya Ojiri .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. International Goodwill Hospital, Yokohama, Japan

    Nobutoshi Ando

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2020 Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd.

About this chapter

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this chapter

Ojiri, H. (2020). Diagnostic Imaging of the Esophageal Cancer. In: Ando, N. (eds) Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-15-4190-2_3

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-15-4190-2_3

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Singapore

  • Print ISBN: 978-981-15-4189-6

  • Online ISBN: 978-981-15-4190-2

  • eBook Packages: MedicineMedicine (R0)

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation