Objective  To explore the value of abdominal computed tomography (CT) in evaluating extramural vascular invasion of gastric cancer.

  Methods  Totally 98 patients with primary gastric cancer were selected and conducted with abdominal CT examination. The value of abdominal CT in the diagnosing extramural vascular invasion of gastric cancer was analyzed based on the results of surgical pathology as the gold standard. TNM staging, tumor size and growth pattern were compared between extramural vascular invaders and non-invaders.

  Results  Abdominal CT for diagnosis of extramural vascular invasion of gastric cancer was highly consistent with surgical and pathological results (Kappa=0.953, P=0.001). The accuracy of abdominal CT for diagnosis of extramural vascular invasion of gastric cancer was 97.96% (96/98), the sensitivity was 100.00% (30/30), the positive predictive value was 93.75% (30/32), the specificity was 97.06% (66/68), and the negative predictive value was 100.00% (66/66). There were no significant differences in stage N and stage M between extramural vascular invaders and non-invaders (P>0.05). Compared with non-extramural vascular invaders, the proportion of T₄ stage was significantly higher in extramural vascular invaders (P < 0.05). Compared with non-extramural vascular invaders, the proportions of patients with tumors size over 5 cm and nodular and diffuse type was significantly higher in extramural vascular invaders (P < 0.05).

  Conclusion  Abdominal CT can improve the preoperative evaluating effect of extramural vascular invasion of gastric cancer, and can accurately judge the disease of extramural vascular invasion of gastric cancer.