[Diagnostic accuracy of sonography in liver metastases, with special reference to the primary tumor].

The accuracy of ultrasonography in the detection of liver metastases was studied in 245 patients. Sensitivity, specificity and positive and negative accuracy were defined and calculated. Taking into account only metastases more than 15 mm in diameter, sensitivity was 75.5%, positive accuracy was even higher at 83.0%. Specificity and negative accuracy were above 90%. The results are largely dependent on the type of primary tumour. Sensitivity for metastases of a bronchial or gastric carcinoma was about 50%. The results indicate that a positive ultrasound finding generally need not be checked by other methods, while a negative result, especially in certain types of tumour, is by no means sufficient to exclude metastases.