Cystosonography: a diagnostic adjunct for the staging of advanced gynecologic malignancies

Thirty-five patients with advanced gynecologic malignancies (cervical cancer, N = 26; endometrial cancer, N = 5; ovarian cancer, N = 2; vaginal cancer, N = 2) underwent cystoscopy and subsequent cystosonography. The mean age was 61.6 years (range 33-78). The bladder wall was found intact in three patients regardless of the diagnostic procedure. A mere displacement of the bladder wall was observed in four cases using cystoscopy. In all of these women, tumor invasion was ascertained by cystosonography alone. Edema of the bladder mucosa was found in 14 women by cystoscopy and in six women by cystosonography. Endosonography detected tumor invasion of the external layers of the bladder in eight of 14 women. In six of 14 patients, edema was caused by bladder displacement without neoplastic infiltration. Tumor invasion of the bladder was ascertained in six women by cystoscopy and intravesical sonography. Both cystoscopy and intravesical sonography demonstrated neoplastic infiltration and edema of the bladder mucosa in eight patients. Compared with cystoscopy, cystosonographic demonstration of the perivesical region provided better evaluation of the extent of bladder invasion. Cystosonography is a diagnostic adjunct to mere cystoscopy for patients with gynecologic malignancies. This modality is an excellent diagnostic tool, especially if cystoscopy reveals pathologic findings such as edema and displacement or invasion of the bladder wall.