Ultrasonography and lymphography in the diagnosis of rectal cancer metastases

The diagnostic effectiveness of ultrasound and lymphographic investigations was assessed in 89 rectal cancer patients. Lymphography was shown to be a more informative method as it permitted the detection of metastases in 6 patients in whom USI results were negative, metastatic involvement in 2 patients, specifying the type of pathological changes of the enlarged lymph nodes in 14 patients. In a normal lymphographic picture metastatic involvement was detected in 37 cases using ultrasonography. The combined use of ultrasonography and lymphography improved the diagnosis of rectal cancer lymphogenous metastases