[Limitations of ultrasonography in the clinical course monitoring of bladder tumors].
Ultrasonography is a fairly innocuous test in the follow-up of bladder tumours. Its results, however, can not be superposed to those of cystoscopy. This study aims to identify the risk factors for failure of transabdominal ultrasonography in the FU of bladder tumors. The influence of the primary tumour, sex and age of patients on the ability of ultrasonography to detect relapses was analyzed. Chi square and Student's t tests were used to associate the characteristics of primary tumours and patients to the results of ultrasonography. Student's t test was used to estimate the effect of diagnostic oversight in terms of annual recurrence rate and progression. The characteristics of primary tumours where relapse was detected or overlooked had no influence on the results of ultrasound follow-up as neither did age and sex. No differences were detected in recurrence rate of patients with anticipated (0.57) or overlooked (0.58) tumours. Although differences in progression rates (4.76% and 9% for overlooked and identified tumours, respectively) were substantial, they did not reach statistical significance. There are no features in the original tumour or the patient to anticipate the failure of ultrasound monitoring. Multiple and/or small relapses are overlooked more frequently that single and/or large ones, and tumours located in lateral walls, base and dome may be unnoticed. In spite of oversights, alternate ultrasound/cystoscopic monitoring does not compromise the outcome of the disease.
Paez Borda
A
A
Servicio de Urología, Hospital Universitario de Getafe, Madrid.
Lujan Galán
M
M
Martín Oses
E
E
Gago Juan
A
A
Fernández González
I
I
Llorente Abarca
C
C
Berenguer Sánchez
A
A
D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012307:Risk Factors; D014463:Ultrasonography; D001749:Urinary Bladder Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*