Ultrasonography is an accurate technique for the diagnosis of gastrointestinal tumors in patients without localizing symptoms.

Introduction And Objectives: This study compared the accuracy of ultrasonography in the diagnosis of gastrointestinal tumors in patients with several degrees of clinical suspicion.

Material And Methods: We recruited patients that were suspect for gastrointestinal neoplasia but with no evidence of localizing symptoms (group A), and patients that were suspect for colon cancer (group B) or for gastric cancer (group C). Accuracy in the diagnosis was compared for: gastric cancer in groups A and C, and for colon cancer in groups A and B.

[Usefulness of ultrasonography in diagnosing patients suspect for digestive tract neoplasms].

Background: The Positive Predictive Value (PPV) of signs and symptoms for the diagnosis of colon and gastric cancer is low. Furthermore, many patients are referred to us to discard a digestive tract neoplasm with no symptoms suggestive of its whereabouts, in whom clinical PPV is even lower. This study evaluates the usefulness of ultrasonography as a first approach to diagnosis.

[Usefulness of digestive ultrasonography in the assessment of ulcerative colitis extent].

Introduction: A full examination of the colon should be avoided upon finding severe endoscopic lesions in patients with ulcerative colitis. However, knowledge of the precise extent of disease is quite important for disease prognosis and the making of therapeutic decisions. Therefore, any validation of a non-invasive technique to assess the extent of ulcerative colitis gains a lot of interest and importance.

[Intermediate-risk gastrointestinal stromal tumor: diagnosis through hydrogastric ultrasonography].

Evaluation of submucosal lesions of the digestive tract with conventional endoscopy is unsatisfactory since this technique does not allow direct observation or correct evaluation of the size and layer of origin of the tumor; therefore, in most patients an etiological diagnosis cannot be established with this procedure. However, in most patients, endoscopic ultrasonography can resolve these problems: to a fair degree of certainty, this technique can differentiate malignant from benign lesions, measure their size, and establish their layer of origin. Endoscopic ultrasonography is the technique of choice to establish the presence and characteristics of submucosal tumors and their suitability for treatment.