Application of routine abdominal spiral CT in diagnosis of gastric carcinoma

[Objective] To evaluate the value of routine abdominal spiral CT(RASCT) in diagnosis of gastric carcinoma and scanning techniques. [Methods] The RASCT was performed with non-hypotonic and stomach filling methods from January 2001 to April 2006. The number of the gastric carcinoma cases was calculated, and the manifestations and the diagnostic essentials of lesion were analyzed. [Results] Fifty-three cases of gastric carcinoma were found in RASCT, and thickening and mass of gastric wall were showed in 47 and 6 cases, respectively. The cavity of stomach in the lesion area was remarkable stenosis in 42 cases, and the gastric cavity proximity to the stenosis was extended in 24 cases of those patients. The main CT signs of lesions in arterial and portal venous phase included the layered pattern enhancement and heterogeneous enhancement, and in delay phase, the lesions showed mild homogeneous enhancement. [Conclusion] Using the RASCT, we can obtain the change of gastric wall and cavity of gastric carcinoma, and this is very helpful for the diagnosis of gastric carcinoma.