Imaging increasingly plays an important role in selecting the most optimal treatment for patients with colon and rectal cancer. While in colon cancer, computed tomography (CT) remains the modality of choice for local and distant staging, in patients with rectal cancer magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is the main modality and mandatory for local staging. Endoluminal rectal ultrasound (ERUS) is the preferred staging method for superficial rectal tumors. This chapter addresses the current role of various imaging modalities in colorectal tumor staging.
This review contains 4 figures and 50 references.
Key words: Preoperative imaging, Colorectal cancer, Magnetic resonance imaging, Diffusion weighted MRI, Computed tomography, Mesorectal fascia, TNM staging, Treatment stratification
Evaluating rectal tumor staging with magnetic resonance imaging, computed tomography, and endoluminal ultrasound
