[Endosonographic tumor staging of gastrointestinal tumors]

In 24 surgical specimens of gastrointestinal tumours the extent of the tumour (T-classification) and the degree of involved lymph nodes (N-classification) were examined. In a preceding study including a subgroup of the cases the high degree of comparability between preoperative endosonography and endosonographic examination of the surgical specimen was demonstrated. The T-classification matched in 75%, an incorrect classification was found in 20%. In 5% the identification of the different layers of the wall was impossible. N-classification was very difficult because of the small amount of identified lymph nodes (25%) and the insufficient sonographic criteria of dignity.