Role of angiographic techniques in the preoperative staging and managementof gastrointestinal neoplasms

Gastrointestinal neoplasms are very common diseases, and their management d oes not usually require angiography for diagnostic and staging purposes. Ho wever, angiography may be required for further refinements in staging of va scular involvement or to obtain a detailed preoperative anatomy of the vess els. Finally, angiographic techniques may be useful for palliative or preop erative locoregional chemotherapy, and to treat hemorrhagic complications. This article reviews the capabilities and limits of angiographic techniques in the assessment and management of tumors of the alimentary tract. (C) 20 01 Wiley-Liss, Inc.