Diagnostic procedures for assessment of disease extent in prostatic carcinoma

Staging of carcinoma of the prostate was performed on patients using Watanabe's method of transrectal ultrasonotomography (N = 37), pedal lymphography (N = 10), and bone scanning with technetium phosphate (N = 35). Of 14 patients found to have tumor confined within the prostate following routine examination, 4 were elevated to a higher disease stage after sonographic evaluation. Thirty-two percent of 25 patients with normal bone X-rays had abnormal bone scans. Four cases with positive node metastases on lymphogram had already presented with skeletal involvement. The values of these techniques in the assessment of disease extent in prostatic carcinoma are compared and briefly discussed.