CT Gastrography

Computed tomographic (CT) gastrography, also called virtual gastroscopy (VG), is a noninvasive procedure for the detection of gastric abnormalities. Multiple X-rays are used to create a 3-Dimensional image of the organ, allowing abnormalities to be detected.

Advantages

 * rapid and noninvasive
 * identifies local tumor invasion, lymph node and metastasis in cases of gastric cancer

Indications

 * early detection of gastric carcinoma
 * to examine gastric abnormalities, e.g. hiatus hernia, polyps and ulcers
 * post-surgical assessment of the stomach

Technique

 * Patient fasts at least 8 hours before the exam.
 * Bowel distension, optimal gastric distention is a fundamental prerequisite for CT gastrography data evaluation; collapsed gastric wall may mimic disease or obscure underlying pathology.
 * Negative oral contrast medium with effervescent granules is effective for optimal gastric distension.

Data acquisition and analysis

 * CT scanning is ideally performed on a multi-detector computed tomography (MDCT) with a thin collimation.
 * Data interpretation with the use of two-dimensional (2D) and three-dimensional (3D) displays for proper evaluation