Role of Imaging in Rectal Cancer

Abstract

THIS ARTICLE HAS NO ABSTRACT (FIRST 100 WORDS OF THE ARTICLE ARE DISPLAYED):

Staging of rectal cancer is necessary to provide the optimal treatment strategy although proctoscopy or sigmoidoscopy with biopsy are diagnostic. This is achieved by locoregional assessment of the disease by various available radiological investigations. Staging information includes extent of tumor involvement of the rectal wall and adjacent structures, presence or absence of adjacent lymphadenopathy, and determination of distant metastasis. Several modalities exist for the preoperative staging of rectal cancer, like computed tomography (CT); magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) with traditional body, endorectal, or phasedarray coils; endorectal ultrasonography (ERUS) with rigid or flexible probes; and positron emission tomography (PET) with and without. JMS 2012;15(1):4-6.