The efficacy of endoscopic ultrasonography in local staging of rectal tumors.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND/AIMS: The purpose of this study was to research the efficacy and reliability of endoscopic rectal ultrasonography in local staging (T and N stages) of rectal tumors. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This retrospective study was carried out by the Department of Gastroenterology, Izmir Atatürk Training and Research Hospital, which is tertiary level. Thirty-one patients with adenocarcinoma were included in the study. The patients found operable according to computed tomography underwent preoperative local staging by endoscopic ultrasonography. Radial endoscopic ultrasonography and T and N stages were evaluated. RESULTS: It was observed that endoscopic rectal ultrasonography had 80.6% accuracy, 93.4% sensitivity, and 96.5% specificity in T stage; 70% accuracy, 70% sensitivity, and 86% specificity in the detection of presence of lymph node; and 76% accuracy, 100% sensitivity, and 22% specificity in the detection of the nature of lymph node. CONCLUSIONS: In this study, it was observed that endoscopic rectal ultrasonography is an efficient and reliable method in the detection of local lymph node and the depth of invasion of rectal tumors (T staging), although it is not reliable enough to determine the characteristics of lymph nodes.