title: Role of intraoperative ultrasound of the liver with improved preoperative hepatic imaging.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To find out whether intraoperative ultrasound (IOUS) of the liver should still be considered a routine procedure for patients having hepatic resections as their preoperative investigation has become so much better with the standard use of triphasic spiral computed tomograms (CT).
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective study.
  
  
  METHODS
  University medical centre, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
  
  
  METHODS
  26 consecutive patients undergoing liver resection.
  
  
  METHODS
  How much additional information was given by IOUS, and its influence on operative strategy; how IOUS facilitated the hepatic resection.
  
  
  RESULTS
  IOUS revealed additional information over triphasic CT in 13/26 patients, which led to a change in the surgical procedure in 4 (15%). For all 4 patients the change in surgical approach proved to be correct as judged by histology and clinical outcome. In 12 patients IOUS facilitated the resection by providing helpful three-dimensional anatomical insight.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Despite recent improvements in preoperative investigation, IOUS should still be recommended as a routine procedure in patients having hepatic resections. In addition to aiding the ultimate decision about which part to resect, it also gives insight into the hepatic anatomy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, University Medical Centre, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Bloed
authors.forename: M S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: van Leeuwen
authors.forename: I H
authors.initials: IH
authors.lastname: Borel Rinkes
mesh_terms: D005260:Female; D006498:Hepatectomy; D006801:Humans; D007430:Intraoperative Care; D008099:Liver / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000556:secondary / Q000601:surgery; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011300:Preoperative Care; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods; D014463:Ultrasonography