X-ray Diagnosis of Early Gastric Cancer

The authors introduced the present state of diagnosis and treatment of gastric cancer in Japan. Japanese classification of "early gastric cancer" is also introduced. Several X-ray pictures of 7 cases of early gastric cancer with their macroscopical and microscopical findings according to the order of this classification are presented. The role and superiority of double contrast technique in detecting and making diagnosis of early gastric cancer are discussed. The possibility of marked shrinkage of benign ulcer exsisting inside the early gastric cancer lesion is presented, and the importance of following up the course of all the benign ulcer cases for making preoperative X-ray diagnosis is emphasized. The key point to diagnosis of flat type early gastric cancer (IIb type) is also described.