Systematic evaluation of radiological findings in the assessment of resectability of peri-ampullary cancer by CT using different contrast phase protocols

Aims To determine the relative significance of radiological signs in determining the resectability of peri-ampullary cancer (PC) and to assess the value of multi-phase imaging in detecting these findings. Materials and methods Blinded, double re-reporting of preoperative imaging from five hospitals was undertaken of 411 patients undergoing surgery for PC over an 8-year period, of whom 119 patients were found to be inoperable at the time of surgery. Results The median tumour size was 26.7 mm and the proportion of patients reported to have regional lymphadenopathy (RL), venous (VI) and arterial involvement (AI) was 24.7%, 11.5%, and 3.9%, respectively and was similar regardless of the number of contrast phases undertaken. Significant associations were, however, noted between individual risk factors: VI was closely associated with tumour size ( p =0.002) and AI ( p