OBJECTIVETo study the value of three-dimensional 64-slice helical computer tomography (64-MSCT) in diagnosis and surgical treatment on diseases of digestive system.

METHODSFrom November 2005 to August 2006, 64-MSCT was performed on 102 patients suspected of digestive diseases to display foci of infection, hepatic conduit, biliary-pancreatic duct and portal venous system, followed by three-dimensional reconstruction of those targets. The reconstructed images as well as the data obtained from the reconstruction were compared with the surgical results.

RESULTSTwenty-five of 27 patients with portal hypertension (PHT) showed blur-free imaging of main portal vein (MPV) while the other 2 cases showed congenital cavernous transformation or thrombogenesis of MPV. Compensatory circulation of portal venous system was displayed satisfactorily in 27 cases. The three-dimensionally reconstructed images of 34 cases of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) demonstrated no invasion of tumors into the tissues and blood vessels of 23 cases, visible invasion into portal vein and hepatic veins of 9 cases, tumor embolus in portal veins of 1 case, and arterio-venous fistula in only one case. The 3D imaging of biliary passages displayed total concretion, tumor and constrictive or dilated biliary-pancreatic duct and bile duct around amphi-obstruction, which complied with the operations research of calculus of bile duct in 25 cases, cholangiocarcinoma in 5 cases, and cancer of pancreas in 5 cases. Operations research in accordance with the 3D reconstructed imaging accorded with imaging diagnosis in respect of PHT, HCC and diseases of biliary-pancreatic system at the rates of 100%, 97% and 100%, respectively.

CONCLUSIONSThree-dimensional 64-MSCT displays foci of infection and constructions of biliary-pancreatic duct and hepatic conduit stereoscopically.