From common to rare: imaging spectrum of gastric malignancies

Multidetector CT has improved the detection, diagnosis, and characterization of gastric malignancies, and as well as the evaluation of distant metastases. Gastric malignancies range from common types such as adenocarcinoma, lymphoma, and GISTs to rare types such as neuroendocrine tumors, liposarcoma, leiomyosarcoma, plasmacytoma, and metastases from other cancers. CT is often the preferred modality for their assessment. These tumors can appear as a single lesion, multifocal involvement, or diffuse wall thickening, and they often have overlapping imaging features, making diagnosis challenging. This pictorial review presents the CT findings of these malignancies to help radiologists understand the differential diagnosis, recognize early CT patterns, and guide appropriate management.