Transrectal and transvaginal ultrasonography in the preoperative staging of rectal carcinoma.

To evaluate the diagnostic ability of transrectal and transvaginal ultrasonography (TRUS and TVUS), 132 patients with rectal carcinoma were examined. Analysis of the data obtained has shown that the high quality of endosonographic imaging allows the performance of detailed staging of rectal carcinoma. In the great majority of patients (91%) the staging was carried out correctly. Neoplastic invasion was overstaged in only five cases and understaged in another five cases. Altered pararectal lymph nodes could be visualized by endosonographic examination in 54.5% of patients.