INTRA‐OPERATIVE ULTRASOUND FOR THE DETECTION OF HEPATIC METASTASES FROM COLORECTAL CANCER

The aim of this study was to compare the accuracy of intra‐operative ultrasound (IOUS) with other imaging modalities and with surgical palpation in detecting liver metastases from colorectal cancer (CRC). Intra‐operative ultrasound was performed in 100 patients undergoing surgery for CRC. All patients had pre‐operative liver function tests, transcutaneous ultrasound and computerized tomography (CT) scan of the liver. The liver was palpated intra‐operatively by a surgeon who was unaware of the pre‐operative findings. The liver was then assessed by IOUS. Intra‐operative ultrasound detected more patients with metastases than either CT scan, transcutaneous ultrasound or surgical palpation. It also detected a greater number of smaller metastases in these patients and allowed better anatomical definition compared with pre‐operative investigations.