Diagnosis by imaging of secondary neoplastic lesions of the digestive tract

Secondary neoplasms involving the alimentary tract are not common. This work is aimed at evaluating their characteristic roentgenological features, providing, when possible, the criteria for discriminating secondary from primary lesions. Forty-five patients with secondary neoplasms of the alimentary tract were examined by conventional radiology, ultrasonography and CT. Both CT and US are highly accurate in such cases, since these lesions are displayed directly. However, double-contrast gastrointestinal examination must be performed, because it indirectly demonstrates both intrinsic and extrinsic lesions, thus providing all elements for a correct local staging.