Abstract:Objective To investigate the image manifestation of 256-slice spiral CT in the diagnosis of gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST) in order to improve the accuracy rate of diagnosis. Methods A total of 36 GIST patients who were confirmed by surgical pathology from October 2015 to November 2017 were analyzed retrospectively. All the patients were received plain and enhanced CT scanning. CT signs included tumor size, contour, surface morphology, margin, growth pattern and the pattern and degree of enhancement. Results GISTs were found in 28 cases of stomach (including fundus, antrum and body), 7 cases of jejunum and 1 case of descending colon. There were 16 cases of benign, 6 cases of potential malignant and 14 cases of malignant. The main growth pattern of GIST was extra-luminal growth (52.8%, 18/36), followed by intra-luminal growth (27.8%, 10/36) and transmural growth (22.2%, 8/36). There were 29 cases of oval or elliptic mass and 8 cases of lobulated or irregular mass in gross morphology. In plain CT scanning, there were 27 cases that tumor body was homogeneous density, 9 cases that the periphery of tumor was homogeneous density while the tumor body was nonhomogeneous density, 5 cases that calcification was seen, 4 cases that ulcer was formed at mucosal surface and 1 case of tumor accumulation. In enhanced CT scanning, there were 20 cases that lesion was enhanced moderately to significantly, 15 cases of nonhomogeneous density in tumor body with necrosis and cyst degeneration and 1 case oflymphatic metastasis. The overall coincidence rate of CT imaging in the diagnosis of GIST was 66.7% (24/36), while the accuracy rate of CT was 66.7% (24/36) and the accuracy of localization was 100% (36/36). Conclusion GIST is a tumor originating from submucosa, and its CT imaging features have certain characteristics, which has great significance for the diagnosis and differential diagnosis of GIST.