Value of multiphase contrast-enhanced CT with three-dimensional reconstruction in detecting depth of infiltration, lymph node metastasis, and extramural vascular invasion of gastric cancer.

backgroundMultiphase contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CECT) can reveal the location, morphology, size, and enhancement pattern of gastric cancer (GC), whereas the three-dimensional reconstruction (3DR) technique can better display the relationships of the lesions with surrounding structures, the feeding vessels, and lymph node metastasis. Here, we investigated the value of multi-phase CECT with 3DR in detecting depth of infiltration, lymph node metastasis, and extramural vascular invasion (EMVI) of GC.

methodsThe clinical and imaging data of 132 GC patients admitted to the Chongqing Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine and the Third Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University during the period from January 2012 to October 2019 were collected. All patients received plain and multiphase contrast-enhanced CT scans. The agreement between the results of preoperative CT evaluation and the surgical/pathological findings was compared.

results(I) CT findings of GC of 3 differentiation levels: on the multiphase CECT, the peak enhancement percentage was highest in the portal venous phase. The CT values significantly differed among the arterial, portal venous, and equilibrium phases (P<0.05); the differences in the arterial, portal venous, and equilibrium phases were statistically significant among the well-, moderately, and poorly differentiated groups (all P<0.05); finally, the difference in the equilibrium phase was statistically significant between the well- and moderately differentiated groups (P<0.05). (II) Preoperative CT and postoperative pathology had good consistency in T staging (Kappa =0.667). (III) The Kappa values between the preoperative CT-diagnosed lymph node metastasis and postoperative pathologically showing an increasing consistency with the increase of CT enhancement differences. (IV) Preoperative CT and postoperative pathology had good consistency in N staging (Kappa =0.779). (V) Preoperative CT in displaying arterial supply to the stomach. The rate of positive EMVI was 32.6% (43/132) on preoperative CT. The positive EMVI diagnosed by preoperative CT was correlated with tumor size, growth pattern, tissue differentiation degree, T stage, and N stage (all P<0.05).

conclusionsMultiphase CECT combined with 3DR has high diagnostic performance in detecting the depth of infiltration, lymph node metastasis, and EMVI of GC.