Abstract
From 2002 to 2005, we performed mass surveys using abdominal ultrasonography for a total of 91,803 people at our institution. We reviewed our database and obtained the following data : 1) the percentage of cases where re-examination was recommended, 2) the percentage of cases where thorough examination was recommended, 3) the percentage of the cases where follow-up examinations were conducted, and 4) the detection rate for malignant diseases. The percentage of re-examinations recommended and the percentage of thorough examinations recommended were found to be 1.9% and 1.6% of the total, respectively. The percentage of cases where secondary re-examinations or thorough examinations were carried out was 21% and 27.7%, respectively. Malignant diseases were detected in 20 patients (0.022%), including 2 hepatocellular carcinomas, 5 metastatic liver cancers (with the colon as the primary organ in 3 cases, the pancreas in 1 case and the breast in 1 case), 1 hilar cholangiocarcinoma, 2 pancreatic cancers, 9 kidney cancers and 1 urinary bladder cancer. The detection rate at our institution was lower than that previously reported by other institutions (0.07～0.135%). One reason could be that we did not always obtain whole sets of information on the results of follow-up examinations once referrals were made. Thus, we believe that a post-survey management system must be established from the quality-of-care viewpoint.
