title: Multi-detector CT in the evaluation of patients with recurrence of rectal cancer.
abstract: The advantages of multiplanar reconstruction in rectal cancer recurrence diagnostics using medium resolution multi-detector CT are evaluated. We included 40 patients after a rectal cancer operation in this study. During follow-up ten patients developed a recurrence. All patients received a minimum of two CT-examinations in their follow-up program. A total of 131 CT-scans were evaluated. Each examination was reviewed by two experienced radiologists in respect to recurrence. Each examination was presented in axial reconstruction with a slice thickness of 8mm with an increment of 7 mm and a slice thickness of 3 mm with an increment of 2 mm. The thin slices were used for the multi-planar reconstruction. Multi-planar reconstructions showed better results for the detection of recurrence than axial reconstruction. A reduced slice thickness did not lead to better results in axial reconstruction. Multi-planar reconstruction showed a sensitivity of 0.88, a specificity of 1.0 and an accuracy of 0.97. Our axial reconstruction results were: 0.86, 0.96, and 0.93, respectively. Sensitivity and accuracy showed a significant increase after the first and second examinations. Multi-planar reconstructions allow for better detection of rectal cancer recurrence when compared to axial reconstructions. Thinner axial slice thickness shows no diagnostic advantage.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, University of Bochum, Marienhospital Herne, Hoelkeskampring 40, 44625 Herne, Germany. Christoph.A.Stueckle@ruhr-uni-bochum.de
authors.forename: Christoph A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Stueckle
authors.forename: Stefan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Adams
authors.forename: Kerstin F
authors.initials: KF
authors.lastname: Stueckle
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Szpakowski
authors.forename: Oliver
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Schneider
authors.forename: Christoph
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Friedrich
authors.forename: Ulrich
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Thiem
authors.forename: Ludger
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Pientka
authors.forename: Dieter
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Liermann
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D012004:Rectal Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods*