title: Assessment of the prognostic factors for a local recurrence of rectal cancer: the utility of preoperative MR imaging.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the utility of MR imaging in evaluating the prognostic factors for a local recurrence of rectal cancer following a curative resection.
  
  
  METHODS
  The preoperative MR images obtained from 17 patients with a local recurrence and 54 patients without a local recurrence, who had undergone a curative resection, were independently evaluated by three radiologists. The following findings were analyzed: the direct invasion of the perirectal fat by the primary rectal carcinoma, involvement of the perirectal lymph nodes, perirectal spiculate nodules, perivascular encasement, and an enlargement of the pelvic wall lymph nodes. The clinical and surgical profiles were obtained from the patients' medical records. The association of a local recurrence with the MR findings and the clinicosurgical variables was statistically evaluated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the MR findings, the presence of perivascular encasement (p = 0.001) and perirectal spiculate nodules (p = 0.001) were found to be significant prognostic factors for a local recurrence. Of the clinicosurgical profiles, the presence of a microscopic vascular invasion (p = 0.005) and the involvement of the regional lymph nodes (p = 0.006) were associated with a local recurrence. Logistic regression analysis showed that the presence of perirectal spiculate nodules was an independent predictor of a local recurrence (odds ratio, 7.382; 95% confidence interval, 1.438, 37.889; p = 0.017).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The presence of perirectal spiculate nodules and perivascular encasement on the preoperative MR images are significant predictors of a local recurrence after curative surgery for a rectal carcinoma. This suggests that preoperative MR imaging can provide useful information to help in the planning of preoperative adjuvant therapy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Diagnostic Radiology, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Young Taik
authors.initials: YT
authors.lastname: Oh
authors.forename: Myeong Jin
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Joon Seok
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Lim
authors.forename: Joo Hee
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Kang Young
authors.initials: KY
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Nam Kyu
authors.initials: NK
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Won Ho
authors.initials: WH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Ki Whang
authors.initials: KW
authors.lastname: Kim
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011300:Preoperative Care; D011379:Prognosis; D012004:Rectal Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery