Scialpi M, Rotondo A, Angelelli G
Department of Radiology, Santissima Annunziata General Hospital, Via Bruno, 74100 Taranto, Italy.
Abdom Imaging. 1999 Mar-Apr;24(2):132-6. doi: 10.1007/s002619900461.
To increase the value of ultrasound in the staging of stenotic rectal carcinoma.
Water enema transvaginal ultrasound (WE-TVUS) was performed in 21 consecutive female patients with severely stenotic rectal tumor (adenocarcinoma histologically proved) who were selected on the basis of clinical and double-contrast barium enema study. All patients underwent surgery, and histopathologic correlation was possible.
Rectal tumors were well demonstrated in all cases, and a good correlation between perirectal neoplastic infiltration, and lymph node involvement at WE-TVUS and histologic data were observed. Compared with histologic results, WE-TVUS correctly staged 19 of 21 tumors (overall accuracy = 90%); one case was understaged (T4 as T3) and one case was overstaged (T3 as T4). In the detection of lymph node involvement, the sensitivity was 50% and specificity was 78%.
WE-TVUS is a potentially valuable technique for defining the local extension of severely stenotic rectal tumors in women.
