AIM:To evaluate the value of miniprobe sonography(MPS),spiral CT and MR imaging(MRI)in the tumor and regionallymph node staging of esophageal cancer.METHODS:Eight-six patients(56 men and 30 women;agerange of 39-73 years,mean 62 years)with esophagealcarcinoma were staged preoperatively with imagingmodalities.Of them,81(94 %)had squamous cell carcinoma,4(5 %)adenocarcinoma,and 1(1%)adenoacanthoma.Eleven patients(12 %)had malignancy of the upper onethird,41(48 %)of the mid-esophagus and 34(40 %)ofthe distal one third.Forty-one were examined by spiral CTin whom 13 were co-examined by MPS,and forty-five byMRI in whom 18 were also co-examined by MPS.Theseimaging results were compared with the findings of thehistopathologic examination for resected specimens.RESULTS:In staging the depth of tumor growth,MPS wassignificantly more accurate(84 %)than spiral CT and MRI(68 % and 60 %,respectively,P<0.05).The specificity andsensitivity were 82 % and 85 % for MPS;60 % and 69 % forspiral CT;and 40 % and 63 % for MRI,respectively.In stagingregional lymph nodes,spiral CT was more accurate(78 %)than MPS and MRI(71% and 64 %,respectively),but thedifference was not statistically significant.The specificity andsensitivity were 79 % and 77 % for spiral CT;75 % and 68 %for MPS;and 68 % and 62 % for MRI,respectively.CONCLUSION:MPS is superior to spiral CT or MRI for Tstaging,especially in early esophageal cancer.However,the three modalities have the similar accuracy in N staging.Spiral CT or MRI is helpful for the detection of far-distancemetastasis in esophageal cancer. AIM: To evaluate the value of miniprobe sonography (MPS), spiral CT and MR imaging (MRI) in the tumor and regionallymph node staging of esophageal cancer. METHODS: Eight-six patients (56 men and 30 women; agerange of 39-73 years (mean 62 years) with esophageal carcinoma were staged preoperatively with imaging modifications. Of them, 81 (94%) had squamous cell carcinoma, 4 (5%) adenocarcinoma, and 1 (1%) adenoacanthoma. of the upper onethird, 41 (48%) of the mid-esophagus and 34 (40%) of the distal one third. Forty-one were examined by spiral CT in whom 13 were co-examined by MPS, and forty-five by MRI 18 were also co-examined by MPS. The findings were compared with the findings of the histopathologic examination for resected specimens .RESULTS: In staging the depth of tumor growth, MPS wassignificantly more accurate (84%) than spiral CT and MRI (68% and 60%, respectively, P <0.05). The specificity and sensitivity were 82% and 85% for MPS; 60% and 69% forspiral CT; and 40% nd 63% for MRI, respectively. In metastatic lymph nodes, spiral CT was more accurate (78%) than MPS and MRI (71% and 64%, respectively), but the difference was not statistically significant. The specificity and sensitivity were 79% and 77% for spiral CT; 75% and 68% for MPS; and 68% and 62% for MRI, respectively. CONCLUSION: MPS is superior to spiral CT or MRI for Tstaging, especially in early esophageal cancer. the similarity accuracy in N staging. Spiral CT or MRI is helpful for the detection of far-distance metastasis in esophageal cancer.