Results of CT in the diagnosis of recurrence of colorectal carcinomas

Postoperative CT was performed in 179 colo-rectal carcinoma patients who had undergone abdominoperineal extirpation (n = 71), resection and rectosigmoid anastomosis (n = 37), hemicolectomy (n = 32), resection of sigma (n = 31), and others (n = 8). Normal CT-findings were found in 25% only, in more than 75% of all cases pathological CT-findings were seen. CT detected loxal recurrence in 87 patients. Based on CT findings local recurrent colo-rectal carcinoma was classified as Stage 0, or intraluminal mass, in 2 patients (2%). Stage 1, or extraluminal mass without invasion of adjacent organs, was found in 38 (44%) patients; Stage 2a, tumor mass with direct invasions of adjacent organs but not the pelvic side walls could be demonstrated in 13 (15%) of the cases; Stage 2b, for extension of mass to pelvic side walls, and Stage 3, or distant metastatic disease, was found in 14 (16%) and 20 (23%) patients. CT was negative in 2 patients with local recurrence (beside Stage 0), an incorrect diagnosis of recurrence due postoperative scarring was found in 4 patients. CT detected exclusive also metastatic disease of the liver in 23 patients and intraabdominal lymph node involvement in 8 patients. (orig.)