Archive of Oncology 2002;10(1):37-8. Role of endorectal ultrasonography in

Abstract

olorectal cancer is the fourth most common type of cancer worldwide yet there continues to be controversy and confusion regarding the best methods and techniques for its diagnosis and management. The treatment of rectal carcinoma is mainly determined by its local extension. Preoperative staging of rectal carcinoma can be assessed by different methods: digital rectal examination, transrectal ultrasound, computed tomography, and magnetic resonance imaging. The first articles about endorectal ultrasonography (ERUS) and its application in diagnostics of anorectal diseases date since 1956. Its use in clinical practice was limited mostly because of the bad technical characteristics of probes (1,2). Over the past several years, the tremendous improvements in endorectal and endoanal ultrasonography allowed a much more accurate evaluation of both benign and malignant anorectal diseases and what is more importan