Angiographic diagnosis of the degree of serosal invasion of carcinoma of the colon.

Angiography using Prostaglandin E1 was performed on 38 patients with carcinoma of the colon in order to diagnose the degree of serosal cancer invasion. The findings at angiography were classified into four groups: 1) AG-S3, abnormal change (irregularity and/or encasement) up to marginal vessels; 2) AG-S2, abnormality up to vasa recta; 3) AG-S1, abnormality of penetrating branches of vasa recta within the wall of the colon; and 4) AG-S0, no distinct findings of above-mentioned vessels. These angiographic findings were compared with both macroscopic and microscopic serosal cancer invasion. Angiographic diagnosis is in accord with the macroscopic findings in 84.2 percent of cases. Angiographic diagnosis is in accord with the microscopic findings in 32.4 percent of cases. Macroscopic findings confirm the angiographic diagnosis precisely but the conflict with microscopic findings should not be overlooked. This may be the result of inflammatory change, adhesion, and fibrosis around carcinoma of the colon.