Can transabdominal ultrasonography of the bladder replace cystoscopy in the followup of superficial bladder tumors?

Transabdominal ultrasonography of the bladder was performed on 100 patients 3 to 9 months after endoscopic resection of stage Pa or Pl transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder. In 81 patients there was a close correlation between the results of suprapubic ultrasonography and cystoscopy. In 19 patients the ultrasonography results were incorrect: 4 had false positive and 15 had false negative findings. Specificity for the diagnosis of recurrence was 90 per cent and sensitivity was 74 per cent. Transabdominal ultrasonography combined with cytology studies should be part of the diagnostic approach for recurrent superficial bladder tumors. When performed before cystoscopy these studies should reduce greatly without eliminating the frequency of this investigation.