OBJECTIVETo compare the accuracy of preoperative T staging of gastric cancer by oral and intravenous contrast-enhanced gastric ultrasonography.

METHODSOne hundred and forty three patients who had been diagnosed as gastric cancer by endoscopic biopsy and confirmed by pathology after operation were examined by oral and intravenous contrast-enhanced gastric ultrasonography, and they were divided into satisfied group and non-satisfied group according to the 2-D image quality of lesion. The results were compared with postoperative pathologic findings.

RESULTSAll the patients with gastric cancer presented regional gastric wall thickening. Among them, 117 cases were clearly presented with good image quality. The remaining 26 cases were presented with vague profile, the ulcerative surface of lesion was filled with hyperechogenicity combined with rear shadow. The accuracy of oral contrast-enhanced ultrasonography in determining the T stage of gastric cancer was 74.1%. The accuracy in satisfied group and non-satisfied group was 78.6% and 53.8%, respectively. The enhancement pattern of 143 cases was showed as hyperenhancement during the arterial phase and hypoenhancement during the portal phase in DCUS. The accuracy of double contrast-enhanced ultrasongraphy in determining the T stage of gastric cancer was 86.7%, but the accuracy in satisfied group and non-satisfied group was 88.9% and 76.9%, respectively. There was a significant difference between the two methods (χ(2) = 9.031, P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONDCUS is more accurate than oral contrast-enhanced ultrasonography as a useful diagnostic method for preoperative T staging of gastric cancer.