The preoperative value of 3D endorectal ultrasonography with water balloon dilatation in low rectal cancer

Abstract

Objective To evaluate the sensitivity and specificity of 3D endorectal ultrasonography (ERUS) with water balloon dilatation in preoperative staging of low rectal cancer. Methods Seventy-two cases of low rectal cancer treated in the Affiliated Changhai Hospital of Naval Military Medical University were examined by intraoperative ultrasonography before operation. Preoperative T staging was performed. The sensitivity and specificity of preoperative ultrasound T staging was compared to the pathological T staging. The degrees of overly deep and overly shallow stage were assessed. Results A total of 72 patients were enrolled in the study, including 16 cases of T1 rectal cancer, 23 cases of T2 rectal cancer, 25 cases of T3 rectal cancer, and 8 cases of T4 rectal cancer. The preoperative diagnostic sensitivity and specificity of ERUS in T1, T2, T3 and T4 rectal cancer were 93.3% and 96.5%, 87.0%and 93.9%, 84.0% and 91.5%, 71.4% and 95.4%, respectively. The percentage of overly deep stage was 5.6%, and the percentage of overly shallow stage was 11.1%. Conclusion 3D endorectal ultrasonography with water balloon dilatation has important guiding significance for the preoperative staging and surgical treatment of low rectal cancer. Key words: Rectal neoplasms; Neoplasm staging; 3D endorectal ultrasonography