[Radiologic diagnosis of cancer in the middle and lower thoracic esophagus]

Data on the actual size of tumor are vital for effective radiotherapy of esophageal cancer. An analysis of 150 radiographs of radiation-treated patients with malignancies of the middle and lower chest sections of the esophagus established that external contours of tumor could be visualized with the aid of filling defects shadow seen against the light background of the mediastinal strip. In combination with internal ones, they gave a full picture of tumor invasion. Reduction in shadow size due to X-ray rehabilitation of esophageal function serves to support the suggestion that said shadow should be accounted for by the presence of esophageal tumor.