Preoperative T staging of gastrointestinal malignancy by MDCT– An essential tool for surgical management

Background: Malignancy with respect to the stomach and small and large intestines can present as a mass or focal/diffuse bowel wall thickening, with associated perienteric abnormalities. The role of multidetector computed tomography (MDCT) in gastrointestinal malignancy is pivotal, as it provides high-resolution images for accurate preoperative staging of gastrointestinal tumors and can help in the surgical management of patients. Aim and Objectives: The goal of this study was to evaluate the role of MDCT in the evaluation of gastrointestinal malignancy, to differentiate between benign and malignant gastrointestinal disorders, and to stage a malignant lesion preoperatively. Materials and Methods: This study was conducted at the Radiodiagnosis Department of AVBRH, a teaching hospital of DMIHER, Sawangi (Meghe), Wardha. It was a prospective cross-sectional study. A purposive convenience sampling method with a desired sample size of 50 participants for the study was conducted over a duration of 2 years. Results: Our study included 51 subjects, of which the majority, 32 (62.75%), were male, and the rest, 19 (37.25%), were female. Among the study population, 46 (90.2%) were malignant lesions, and the rest, 5 (9.8%), were benign, according to the MDCT diagnosis. The majority, i.e. 32 (62.75%) individuals, had colorectal cancer. The majority of individuals with malignancy, i.e. 46 (90.2%), had a heterogeneous pattern of gastrointestinal wall enhancement along with asymmetric wall thickening in 44 (86.27%) individuals. Segmental gastrointestinal wall involvement was seen in 35 (68.63%) individuals. Conclusion: MDCT can accurately differentiate benign and malignant diseases based on the pattern of wall thickening and offers information on any accompanying pericolic abnormalities, the existence of nodal or distant metastases, and the invasion of nearby organs. The accurate planning of surgery and patient care is made possible by the preoperative staging of malignant lesions by MDCT.