SUMMARY 1. A review of improved standard techniques as well as newer radiological methods for the evaluation of gastrointestinal cancer is presented. 2. Double contrast barium examinations of the oesophagus, stomach, duodenum, and colon increase the capability for diagnosing and characterising small gastrointestinal mass lesions. Commercial products are available so that excellent double contrast examinations may be performed in any institution. 3. Diagnostic applications of angiography to the liver, pancreas, and alimentary canal are presented. The importance of assessing extent of disease by angiographic means is stressed. Therapeutic angiography, particularly in the control of gastrointestinal haemorrhage, is considered. 4. A number of newer interventional techniques including ‘skinny needle' percutaneous transhepatic cholangiography, transjugular liver biopsy, and percutaneous aspiration pancreatic biopsy are discussed. 5. In the evaluation of patients with gastrointestinal cancer, present radiological techniques allow for more accurate diagnosis, staging of disease, and even therapeutic assistance.