title: Prospective evaluation of different diagnostic techniques for the detection of liver metastases at the time of primary resection of colorectal carcinoma.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate preoperative and operative methods of detecting liver metastases in patients undergoing primary resection for colorectal carcinoma.
  
  
  METHODS
  Prospective, open study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Teaching hospital, Germany.
  
  
  METHODS
  51 Patients with confirmed primary colorectal carcinoma.
  
  
  METHODS
  Computed tomography during arterial portography (CT-AP), percutaneous ultrasonography (US), operative palpation and examination of the liver, operative US, and computed tomography (CT) follow-up 6-12 months postoperatively.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive value, and accuracy.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Overall accuracy was worst for CT during portography, because of the diagnosis of many false positive lesions. Exploration and palpation of the liver had the highest sensitivity (83%) and specificity (100%), and operative US did not give any useful additional information.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Preoperative percutaneous US is recommended as the best non-invasive screening test; otherwise careful inspection and palpation during operation are sufficient for the evaluation of the liver during primary resection for colorectal carcinoma.
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery, Phillipps-University Marburg, Germany.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Nies
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Leppek
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Sitter
authors.forename: H J
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Klotter
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Riera
authors.forename: K J
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Klose
authors.forename: W B
authors.initials: WB
authors.lastname: Schwerk
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rothmund
mesh_terms: D003110:Colonic Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery*; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D003952:Diagnostic Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000556:secondary*; D010173:Palpation; D011172:Portography; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012004:Rectal Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery*; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D012811:Sigmoid Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D014463:Ultrasonography