The Value of CE-LUS During Robot-assisted Surgery for Primary Colorectal Cancer

Laparoscopic ultrasound examination performed during surgery for primary cancer of the colon and rectum (CRC) has been shown to be able to detect liver metastasis that are not recognized by conventional computer tomography (CT scan) prior to surgery.
Today most of the colorectal cancer resections are performed by laparoscopy, but robotic technology is gradually developed in an attempt to overcome some of the limitations characterized by laparoscopy. The use of contrast enhanced laparoscopic ultrasound examination (CE-LUS) of the liver during robot-assisted CRC surgery has not been studied, and this despite the fact that it seems technically possible to perform.
With this project we will investigate whether CE-LUS associated with robotic surgery for CRC is technically feasible and whether it will be able to detect synchronous liver metastases that have not been detected on the preoperative imaging modalities.