The usefulness of hydrogastric ultrasonography in the detection of neoplastic lesions of the gastric wall

: Forty patients endoscopically diagnosed of different gastric neoplastic lesions were explored by hydrogastric ultrasonography to evaluate the usefulness of this method in the detection of such lesions and to analyze the characteristics of the ultrasonographic images and their correlation with the anatomopathologic findings. The sensitivity of the detection of the lesions was 87.5% being close to 100% in those located in the antrum, showing the body and fundus more difficulties due to gas and the costal ribcage. A clear correlation was observed between the ultrasonographic images and the anatomographic findings. It was concluded that this may be a complementary technique to gastroscopy in the diagnosis of sumucosal lesions and extrinsic compressions of the gastric wall. The infiltration of the wall may be delimited in neoplastic lesions and thus may contribute to correct T stratification of the tumor, although this should be confirmed in further studies.