Abstract: Objective : To evaluate the value of CT scan, esophagogram and endoscopy in approximating the length of esophageal carcinoma tumors. Methodse : Seventy-four patients with esophageal carcinoma underwent spiral CT scan, esophagogram and endoscopy before surgery and the length of the tumor was measured. Using the actual tumor length obtained by correcting postoperative pathological specimen length with a shrinkage ratio, the tumor length as measured by CT, esophagogram and endoscopy were compared. Results : In general the values predicted by endoscopy and esophagogram were closest to the actual tumor length in situ. The increasing order was tumor length measured by endoscopy, tumor length in situ obtained by calculation, tumor length measured by esophagogram and tumor length measured by CT scan. The accuracy of tumor length predictions from CT scan, esophagogram and endoscopy compared to the actual tumor length was 41.9% (31/74), 55.4% (41/74) and 73.0% (54/74), respectively. CT scan, esophagogram and endoscopy examinations accounted for 65.1% (28/43), 42.4% (14/33) and 30.0% (6/20), respectively, of the discrepancies of more than 2 cm from the real tumor length in situ. Conclusion : Tumor length measurements by endoscopy and esophagogram are more accurate for predicting actual tumor length than those from CT scans.