title: A new parameter for staging bladder carcinoma: ultrasonographic contact length and height-to-length ratio.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study was to investigate the value of tumor-bladder wall contact length (CL), tumor height (H), and height-to-length ratio (H/CL) for preoperative staging of bladder carcinoma.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fifty-seven patients with bladder tumors underwent suprapubic ultrasonography preoperatively, and the CL of the tumor with the bladder wall and H in the bladder lumen were measured. The CL, H, and H/CL values were correlated with the wall invasion determined by histopathologic analysis of the cystectomy material. Invasion was staged according to the TNM classification system.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Statistically significant differences were found for CL (P < .001) and H/CL (P = .001) between the superficial and invasive tumor groups. These parameters were also effective for differentiating superficial or deep muscle invasion. A CL of greater than 41.5 mm and an H/CL of less than 0.605 were calculated as cutoff values for differentiating superficial and invasive tumors. Height had no value for determining invasion.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The ultrasonographic measurements of CL of the tumor with the bladder wall and H/CL may be useful for staging bladder carcinoma by verification of these findings in larger groups of patients.
authors: Department of Urology, Ankara University School of Medicine, Ankara, Turkey. erizozden@yahoo.com
authors: Eriz
authors: E
authors: Ozden
authors: Ahmet Tuncay
authors: AT
authors: Turgut
authors: Mesut
authors: M
authors: Yesil
authors: Cagatay
authors: C
authors: Gögüs
authors: Orhan
authors: O
authors: Gögüs
mesh_terms: D000704:Analysis of Variance; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness; D009367:Neoplasm Staging / Q000379:methods*; D012372:ROC Curve; D014463:Ultrasonography; D001749:Urinary Bladder Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology*