[Value of computer tomography of the small pelvis for the early diagnosis of local recurrence after surgery of rectal cancer].

The value of pelvic computed tomography (CT) in the detection of local recurrence following radical operation for rectal cancer was assessed in a prospective study on 15 patients. A positive CT finding was checked in every instance by a second-look operation (11 cases). Tumour tissue in the pelvis was found in 9 patients, whereas in 2 patients the positive CT finding was proven to be false. 5 out of 9 cases with recurrent tumour underwent radical surgery. In the 4 cases with a negative CT finding no recurrence has developed after a median observation time of 34 months. Pelvic CT is a useful and reliable method of detecting pelvic recurrence before it becomes clinically obvious. However, the method does not allow certain prediction of whether or not the recurrence will be radically operable.