[Preoperative CT scan for esophageal tumor].

Thoracic CT scans were performed preoperatively in 19 patients with carcinoma of the esophagus and one patient with esophageal leiomyoma. CT findings were compared with surgical and pathological findings before and after operation. CT was shown to be inaccurate in the preoperative assessment of the involvement of esophageal carcinoma and of little value in judging potential resectability (69%). Its accuracy was low in staging the tumor, usually understaging (37.5% staging II) or overstaging tumor (45.4% staging III), without information about suitable treatment of esophageal cancer. With low accuracy in visualizing lymph nodes of the mediastinum and periesophagus (30%), it is not helpful in distinguishing benign from malignant tumor of the esophagus.