TRANSRECTAL ULTRASONOGRAPHY OF A SMALL RECTAL CARCINOID-TUMOR WITH LYMPH-NODE METASTASIS - A CASE-REPORT

A 27-year-old woman with a small rectal carcinoid tumor was examined b y transrectal ultrasonography (TRUS) for preoperative staging. TRUS re vealed regional lymph node involvement, in addition to a 10-mm hypoech oic tumor invading into, but not through, the submucosa. The lymph nod e involvement was confirmed preoperatively by TRUS-guided needle biops y. Although the digital examination findings indicated local excision was appropriate, in accordance with TRUS and TRUS-guided biopsy findin gs, the patient underwent radical surgery. The TRUS findings of lymph node involvement and depth of invasion were confirmed histologically. The patient is alive and disease-free 35 months postoperatively. These observations suggest that TRUS reveals the regional lymph node involv ement and the depth of invasion of rectal carcinoid tumors accurately and, therefore, helps in selecting appropriate treatment.