[Endoluminal sonography--preoperative staging of rectal cancer]

The endoluminal sonography is a new investigation in staging rectal cancer. In a prospective series the value of the endoluminal sonography is compared with clinical staging and computed tomography. The accuracy in clinical staging, computed tomography and endoluminal sonography was 77%, 76% and 87%, respectively. The reasons for under- and overstaging and the interpretation of perirectal lymph nodes are discussed. The endoluminal sonography is an important new method evaluating the operative procedure of cancers in the lower rectum.