CT Finding of Signet Ring Cell Carcinoma of the Stomach

PURPOSE: Signet-ring cell carcinoma is rather invasive and infiltrative than other histologic types of gastric cancer. We evaluated the characteristic CT findings of signet-ring cell carcinoma especially in the intensity and pattern of contrast enhancement. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We analyzed the CT findings of 22 cases with histologically proven signet-ring cell carcinoma, and compared them with those of 35 cases with histologically proven tubular adenocarcinoma. RESULTS: The double ring enhancement of the gastric mass was seen in 12 cases of signet-ring cell carcinoma and only one case of tubular adenocarcinoma. The masses of signet-ring cell carcinoma were enhanced more by the CT number of 10.2 than those of tubular adenocarcinoma. Of the masses of signet-ring cell carcinoma, those showed double ring enhancement were more intensely enhanced than those showed diffuse enhancement by the CT number of 22.9. CONCLUSION: We thought that neovascularity and different infiltration of the tumor cells in the gastric wall were responsible for the intense enhancement and double ring sign of signet-ring cell carcinoma. The possiblity of signet-ring cell carcinoma is high if a gastric mass show double ring sign and strong contrast enhancement.