Evaluation of bladder cancer with a miniature high frequency transurethral ultrasonography probe

A miniature high frequency 10 MHz transurethral ultrasonography probe has been developed which is adaptable to any standard 17 F cystoscope sheath. High frequency contributed to a definite improvement in image resolution but did not allow distinct visualisation of different bladder wall layers. An 80% correlation between ultrasonographic and pathological staging was established after evaluation of 50 consecutive patients with newly diagnosed bladder tumours. Ta/T1 tumours tended to be overstaged with ultrasound. In some patients, the response to conservative treatment (external beam radiation therapy) of deeply infiltrating tumours could be assessed with the miniature probe on an out-patient basis.