Relationship between histological lesions and radiological signs of cancers of the mucous membrane of the stomach

Conclusion

The comparison of radiological signs and of lesions of gastric cancers at different stages allows a different anatomical substratum to be assigned to the radiological images according to the degree of evolution. At its highest point, the radiological image is, evidently, and as it is usual to consider it, closely connected with the cancerous lesion. The rigid conditions show a neoplasic infiltration, the aspects of the niches a neoplastic ulceration, and the aspects of lacuna a neoplastic vegetation.

At the incipient sub-mucosal cancer stage, the radiological image does not at all reveal the cancerous leion but only the reactional modifications of the submucosa, which greatly exceed in area the often tiny mucous lesion which gave rise to them : sclerosis, contractions of the muscularis mucosae, edematous and inflammatory infiltrations, functional modifications of the perilesional mucous profile. Their evolution has been followed by the radioclinical method and in the course of the radioclinical therapeutic test ; as they are directly influenced by the epitheliomatous transformation of the corresponding mucous membrane it all comes about as if the radiological anomalies were the direct consequence of the cancerous lesion.

These facts deserve to be known as they explain certain surprising details in the radioclinical study of suspected cases of incipient cancer of the stomach on which we have laid stress (4, 5, 6, 7, 11, 15).