Endoluminal ultrasound staging of cervical cancer

Clinical staging of cervical cancer is incorrect in approximately one-third of patients who undergo surgical staging. Pretreatment laparotomy is the staging method of choice for patients with cervical cancer at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center. We performed transabdominal, transvaginal, and transrectal ultrasound staging on 12 patients. In 5 of 6 patients undergoing radical hysterectomy, clinical ultrasound and surgical staging were consistent. One patient could not tolerate rectal probe sonography. Ultrasound staging was correct in 1 of 6 patients with advanced disease. A new technique of cervical imaging with transrectal ultrasound and vaginal douche is described. We believe it unlikely that ultrasound will improve the accuracy of clinical staging in patients with cervical cancer.