The potential role of transrectal ultrasound as a tool for diagnosis or recurrence detection in bladder cancer. Two cases report.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVES: To demonstrate the potential role of transrectal ultrasound (TRUS) as a tool for diagnosis or recurrence detection in bladder cancer. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We report two cases of a primary lesion of bladder neck and trigone misdiagnosed by conventional sonographic abdominal evaluation and a case of bladder cancer recurrence diagnosed by TRUS performed before cystoscopy. RESULTS: The first patient presented at the Emergency Room of our Hospital for a flank pain with concurrent haematuria. The abdominal ultrasonography showed a right hydronephrosis and a thickened bladder wall without endoluminal projections. The end-fire probe with a longitudinal approach clearly showed a thickening of the bladder wall extended from the bladder neck to the posterior area. The patient was submitted to a transrectal prostate biopsy and to a urethrocystoscopy with a transurethral resection. The second patient was admitted to the Urology Unit for haematuria. Abdominal ultrasonography was unremarkable and urine cytology negative. The TRUS with an end-fire probe showed a 5 mm area of irregular thickening of the mucosa at the bladder neck. The uretrocystoscopy confirmed the presence of a perimeatal papillary lesion. CONCLUSION: We recommend the use of TRUS for bladder cancer detection in selected patients, as an easy, accurate and inexpensive tool. We need further study to validate the role of TRUS in the diagnosis and follow-up of bladder urothelial carcinoma.