Accuracy of modern ultrasonographic techniques in the follow up of patients with superficial bladder carcinoma

The present study was carried out to establish the accuracy of modern ultrasonographic techniques in the follow up of patients with superficial bladder carcinoma and to evaluate the patients tolerability of cystoscopy. Thirty-three patients with a history of superficial bladder carcinoma under active surveillance were initially examined using transabdominal ultrasound followed in the same day by cystoscopy. Fourteen out of the 33 subjects were found to have bladder carcinoma recurrence on cystoscopy. In 11 cases (78.57%) US accurately diagnosed the bladder carcinoma. Two out of the 3 patients in which, the US examination failed to clearly diagnose bladder carcinoma, were found with a tumor smaller than 3 mm while, in the remaining patient the tumor was located in the inner part of a diverticula. The sensitivity of modern ultrasonographic techniques in the diagnosis of bladder cancer recurrence was 78.5%, the specificity 100%, the positive predictive value 100% and the negative predictive value 86.3%. Regarding the patient tolerability for cystoscopy, 17 patients (51.5%) reported excessive discomfort-low tolerability, 9 (27.2%) moderate discomfort-intermediate tolerability and 7 (21.2%) reported no discomfort-high tolerability. The technological evolution has rendered ultrasonography more accurate in the diagnosis of bladder carcinoma and thus it can be incorporated in the follow up schedule of patients with superficial bladder carcinoma.