[Preoperative staging and follow-up in rectal cancer using endorectal sonography]

32 patients suffering from rectal carcinoma were examined by endorectal sonography. The preoperative staging by sonography was compared with digital palpation, colon enema and computertomography of the pelvis. In 90% of the cases the sonographic determination of the grade of invasion was identical to the histopathological examination. The efficiency of local destruction methods of rectal carcinoma (cryotherapy) can be controlled by this method.