Thoracic Imaging During Diagnosis, Treatment, and Follow-Up in Esophageal

A wide spectrum of radiological imaging modalities is used in the diagnosis and during follow-up after treatment in patients with esophageal cancer. Chest X-rays and cross-sectional imaging techniques such as computed tomography (CT) are widely used in thoracic imaging for assessment of lung parenchyma and mediastinal structures. For upper gastrointestinal (GI) tract, barium studies still have a place for the evaluation of patients with dysphagia, gastroesophageal reflux, motility disorders, or esophageal tumors. In radiological staging of a newly diagnosed esophageal cancer, CT gives information especially about advanced disease including adventitial extension and local invasion to adjacent structures such as aorta or bronchi. MRI has a role in delineation of tumor borders. The use of radiological modalities in combination improves stratification of patients toward appropriate therapy. In the postoperative period of esophageal cancer, both chest X-rays and CT scans are valuable to demonstrate possible complication. For the assessment of recurrence, various imaging modalities may be used according to the place of suspected recurrent disease. In this chapter, different imaging modalities used in primary diagnosis of esophageal cancer, radiological staging, evaluation of possible complications, and recurrence in the follow-up will be discussed.