• BRIEF REPORTS • Gastrointestinal stromal tumor: Computed tomographic features

AIM: Gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST) is a rare type of cancer. Computed tomography (CT) is an imaging modality of choice for diagnosing GIST. The aim of this retrospective study was to review the CT imaging features of 17 GIST patients. METHODS: From 1995 to 2003, there were 47 patients with pathologically proven GISTs at our hospital. Of these, 17 patients underwent preoperative CT. We collected and analyzed these CT images. The CT imaging features included tumor diameter, number and location, tumor margin, location of metastasis, hounsfield units of tumor and effect of contrasts. In addition, we also recorded the surgical findings, including complications, tumor size and location for comparative analysis