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Multimodality imaging evaluation of esophageal cancer: staging, therapy assessment, and complications

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Abstract

Esophageal cancer is among the leading causes of cancer-related deaths worldwide. The management of patients with esophageal cancer is determined to a large extent by patient performance status, location of the primary cancer, and stage of disease at presentation. Multimodality regimens combining neoadjuvant chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy followed by surgery have been increasingly used in suitable candidates with locally advanced cancer. There is substantial morbidity and mortality associated with this treatment strategy, which makes appropriate patient selection important. Endoscopic esophageal ultrasound is the optimal modality to evaluate the local extent of the primary tumor and diagnose locoregional nodal metastasis. Computed tomography is more useful in detecting distant nodal and systemic metastasis. Positron emission tomography/CT is increasingly being used in patient management and improves the accuracy of staging, particularly in the detection of distant nodal and systemic metastatic disease. In this article, we review the role of imaging in the staging, assessment of therapeutic response, and detection of recurrent disease, as well as the evaluation of therapeutic complications in patients with esophageal cancer.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Diagnostic Radiology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA

    Myrna C. B. Godoy, Chitra Viswanathan, Mylene T. Truong, Jeremy J. Erasmus & Edith M. Marom

  2. Department of Radiology, Galway University Hospitals, University College Hospital, Galway, Ireland

    John F. Bruzzi

  3. Department of Radiology, Hospital A.C. Camargo, São Paulo, Brazil

    Marcos D. Guimarães

  4. Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA

    Wayne L. Hofstetter

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  1. Myrna C. B. Godoy
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Correspondence to Myrna C. B. Godoy.

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Godoy, M.C.B., Bruzzi, J.F., Viswanathan, C. et al. Multimodality imaging evaluation of esophageal cancer: staging, therapy assessment, and complications. Abdom Imaging 38, 974–993 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00261-013-9986-7

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