[Use of ultrasound in presurgical differential diagnosis of gynaecological tumours (author's translation)].

Ultrasonographic bistable compound A-B scanning was used in presurgical examinations of 53 gynaecological tumour patients. Ultrasonographic diagnosis proved to be superior to palpation for its better characterisation of the tumour by size, location, shape, consistency, and general description. It provided safe presurgical information in 23 per cent of those cases in which palpation had failed to yield satisfactory findings. -Tumours were correctly described by ultrasonography in 63 per cent of all cases, largely accurately in 28 per cent, and largely inaccurately in nine per cent. -Interpretation of typical ultrasonograms and of those likely to give problems in differential diagnosis as well as their proper integration with the overall clinical approach are discussed.