Objective: To ascertain the value of intraoperative ultrasonography to early detect liver metastasis from tumors of the digestive tract.
Methods: Intraoperative ultrasonography (US) of the liver was performed in 176 patients with confirmed diagnosis of cancer of the stomach and colon. All the nodules detected were either resected or needle biopsied for histological diagnosis. The results of the liver US were compared with those of pre-operative trans-abdominal US, CT scanning and intraoperative exploration.
Results: Liver metastasis was detected by intraoperative US in 43 of the 176 patients (24.4%), with a total of 81 nodules found. Liver metastasis was confirmed histologically in 42 of the 43 cases (97.7%), the frequency of which was significantly higher than that of preoperative transabdominal US, CT scan and surgical exploration (P < 0.05, P < 0.01). It was particularly superior for the detection of liver metastasis less than 2 cm in diameter.
Conclusion: Intraoperative ultrasonography is sensitive enough to early detect tumors of the stomach and colon metastasized to the liver.