【Abstract】ObjectiveTo study the CT features of bare area involvement in gastric carcinoma and their anatomicpathological basis, and to evaluate the role of multi-detector CT in the diagnosis of bare area involvement. Methods In 196 consecutive gastric carcinoma cases, 56 were found bare area involvement and divided into proximal gastric carcinoma (PGC) group and distal gastric carcinoma (DGC) group according to anatomic position of primary tumor. CT images and incidence of gastric bare area (GBA) involvement in the PGC group were observed and compared with those of DGC group. Results The lesion appeared as nodule or mass in bare area in 46 cases and as metastatic lymphadenopathy in 10 cases. CT features of GBA involvement included: ① widening of gastric bare area and blurring or obliteration of the thin fat strip between gastric wall and diaphragm; ② irregular mass with heterogeneous enhancement or round lymph nodes in GBA; ③ irregular thickening of left diaphragmatic crus or gastrophrenic ligament with blurring border to the mass; ④ other metastatic lymph nodes in subphrenic extroperitoneal space. The incidence of GBA involvement in PGC group was 70.0%(42/60), significantly difference from those in DGC group (10.3%,14/136) ,P=0.025. Conclusion The incidence of GBA involvement in PGC group is significantly higher than those in DGC group. Multidetector CT is very useful for preoperative imaging evaluation of bare area involvement and lymphatic spread.