[Endorectal echotomography in assessing the spread of rectal cancer]

Endorectal echotomography is one of modern methods to diagnose rectal carcinoma spreading. On the basis of examination of 56 patients with the above pathology the authors have studied the ultrasonic semiotics of tumourous lesion of rectum and its regional lymphatic apparatus during different stages of the illness. The article contains an outline of the methods of investigation. The findings from ultrasonic diagnosis were compared with the results of clinical, endoscopic investigations and histological analysis of the operative material. A high diagnostic value was shown of the method in the assessment of local spread of the tumor: sensitivity--94.6%, specificity--83.3%, general precision--91.8%. Endorectal ultrasonic tomography permits the enlarged pararectal lymphatic nodes to be visualized but the method's demerit is lack of ultrasonic criteria in the differential diagnosis between the metastatic lesion of the lymphatic node and inflammatory type changes.