Ultrasound and helical computed tomography in the diagnosis of retroperitoneal extravisceral masses

• Main Authors: Damarys Pairol-Ramos, María Julia Valdés-Estrada, Maricel Rodríguez-Cheong, Leisy Perea-Hevia, Naibel Quevedo-Ramírez
• Format: Article
• Language: Spanish
• Published: Universidad de Ciencias Médicas de Las Tunas 2018-04-01
• Series: Revista Electrónica Dr. Zoilo E. Marinello Vidaurreta
• Subjects: tomography, spiral computed; ultrasonics; injuries; retroperitoneal neoplasms; biopsy.
• Online Access: http://revzoilomarinello.sld.cu/index.php/zmv/article/view/1309

<p><strong>Background</strong>: the study of retroperitoneal extravisceral masses with conventional radiology is almost impossible; however, computed tomography and ultrasound are considered the first line of diagnostic modality as a solution to this problem.<strong></strong></p><p><strong>Objective</strong>: to evaluate the effectiveness of ultrasound and helical computed tomography in the diagnosis of extravisceral retroperitoneal masses in patients treated at the "Hermanos Ameijeiras" hospital, between January 2014 and January 2016.<strong></strong></p><p><strong>Methods</strong>: a descriptive, cross-sectional investigation was carried out to evaluate diagnostic means, in which were taken into account patients with suspected retroperitoneal mass, who go to the imago service of the hospital and during the period mentioned before. The results of biopsies were used as referents.<strong></strong></p><p><strong>Results</strong>: Twenty-five patients with extravisceral retroperitoneal masses were diagnosed, 17 of them with malignant tumors, where 14 corresponded to sarcomas (56%) and 71.4% were liposarcomas. When comparing the results of the ultrasound diagnosis with respect to the biopsy, they coincided in 19 patients; thus, ultrasound showed a sensitivity of 76.47% and a specificity of 87.5%; the diagnosis by multislice helical computed tomography coincided with the biopsy in 23 of the 25 cases, evidencing a high capacity to detect retroperitoneal malignant lesions.<strong></strong></p><p><strong>Conclusions</strong>: multislice helical computed tomography and ultrasound were effective in the study of extravisceral retroperitoneal primary masses, with a higher level of accuracy for the former.<strong></strong></p>