Evaluation of the preoperative staging of rectal cancer by magnetic resonance imaging / 中华胃肠外科杂志

ABSTRACT

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To evaluate the value of MRI in preoperative staging of rectal cancer.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>The data of 156 rectal cancer patients,undergone MRI scans from December 2004 to June 2006 in our hospital, were analyzed retrospectively. Findings of MRI were compared with postoperative pathological examinations.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Intracavitary localized parenchyma tumors were seen in 72 cases, and intestinal wall abnormal incrassation or stricture in other 84 cases from MRI scan. Sixteen cases had rectal polyps simultaneously, 2 cases ovarian cysts, 13 cases anterior-sacral metastases and 2 cases bone metastases. The sensitivity and specificity of T(1-2), T(3) and T(4) rectal cancer by MRI examination were 25%(8/32), 93.3%(84/90), 94.1%(32/34) and 100%(124/124), 57.6%(38/66), 96.7%(118/122) respectively. In MRI imaging, metastatic para-rectal lymph node was diagnosed as the diameter >5 mm or abnormal border or mixed resonance, with a sensitivity of 85.1%(80/94) and specificity of 45.2%(28/62).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>MRI has high accuracy for preoperative staging of rectal cancer, and is useful to detect the serosal infiltration and lymph node metastasis.</p>