Endorectal ultrasound: instrumentation and clinical aspects.

During the period 1983 to April 1986, 129 patients with rectal cancer were treated. In 76 of these depth of penetration of the rectal wall by tumour was assessed by ultrasound. T stage determined by ultrasound (uT) corresponded with the pathological stages (pT) in 67 patients. In the remaining 9 cases, ultrasound overstaged the tumour and in only one patient was the growth understaged. Lymph nodes could be visualised in 12 out of 27 patients in whom nodes were looked for but only six cases were found to be positive on histological examination. Of 22 recurrences detected or proven by ultrasound there was a group of 6 patients who had no other sign of recurrence.