Detection of recurrent rectal carcinoma with computed tomography.

In patients with abdominoperineal resection CT is the only effective radiologic method for demonstrating the recurrence of rectal carcinomas. Our series consists of 20 patients examined with CT (38 examinations) because of suspected recurrent rectal carcinoma. Three patients had no recurrence. 13 recurrences were definitely diagnosed. In 2 cases the possibility of an abscess was considered. One recurrent tumour was misdiagnosed as postoperative fibrosis and one as a uterine fibroid.