Radiography in primary tumors of the small bowel

The value of radiography in patients with tumors of the small bowel was assessed retrospectively in 63 patients, who had been subjected to radiography, in a series of 118 patients treated for such tumors. Thirteen of 17 jejunal tumors (76%) and 19 of 46 ileal tumors (41%) were diagnosed preoperatively. Elective barium examination of the small bowel was performed in 36 patients, in whom the tumors were diagnosed in 18. When the small bowel examination was performed during obstruction, 7 of 21 tumors were diagnosed. With the barium examination, adenocarcinomas and carcinoid tumors were often diagnosed correctly. In 32 patients angiography was carried out, and the nature of the tumor was disclosed in 24 (75%).