Hilar tumours—how to predict the need for an extended resection from preoperative investigations

The aim of this article is to review the evidence and clinical implications of preoperative investigations in assessing hilar tumours. All current available paraclinical investigations, invasive and non-invasive, were analysed in order to establish the predictability of a more extended resection. We concluded the following: it is difficult to exclude the possibility of an extended resection from the current investigations without exploratory thoracotomy.