Ultrasonographic and radionuclide detection of hepatocellular carcinoma in cirrhotics with low alpha-fetoprotein levels.

A total of 67 cirrhotic patients with clinically suspected neoplastic degeneration and low alpha-fetoprotein levels were assessed prospectively with ultrasound and gold (198Au) scintigraphy. Ultrasound showed space-occupying lesions in 22 of the 24 patients who had a final diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) (sensitivity, 95.8%) and excluded the presence of HCC in 37 of the 43 patients with cirrhosis only (specificity, 86.

[Echography in patients with clinically suspected pancreatic carcinoma. Analysis of a prospective study].

Cancer of the pancreas is the fourth cause of death for tumor in USA; ultrasound has been shown a sensitive and specific technique in detection of this condition. We have prospectively studied with ultrasound 76 patients with clinical suspicion of cancer of the pancreas. Forty of these patients had carcinoma of the pancreas (histologically proved) and in the other 36 patients the cancer was clinically and/or surgically excluded.