title: 3-T MRI with phased-array surface coil in the local staging of rectal cancer.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study sought to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of surface-coil 3T magnetic resonance (MR) imaging in the preoperative study of patients with rectal cancer.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty patients with histologically proven rectal cancer underwent surface-coil 3T MR imaging with sagittal, paracoronal and para-axial T2-weighted turbo spin echo (TSE) sequences. Slice thickness was 3 mm without gap, field of view 24 cm, matrix 400 × 512. Images were assessed for infiltration of the rectal wall, perirectal fat and pelvic structures. Tumours were staged according to the TNM system, and the MR imaging results were correlated with histopathology.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In the patients who underwent MR imaging before and after radiotherapy (group 1), the diagnostic accuracy of 3T MR imaging was 88% for T2, 94% for T3 and 88% for T4 cancers. In those who underwent surgical treatment without preoperative radiotherapy (group 2), the diagnostic accuracy was 90% for T2, 87% for T3 and 87% for T4 cancers.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The high signal-to-noise ratio coupled with a large field of view enables surface-coil 3T MR imaging to achieve high levels of diagnostic accuracy in the local staging of rectal cancer, and in particular in assessing infiltration of mesorectum and mesorectal fascia.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria, Policlinico, Modena, Italy. sani-f@libero.it
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Sani
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Foresti
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Parmiggiani
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: D'Andrea
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Manenti
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Amorotti
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Scotti
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Gallo
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Torricelli
mesh_terms: D001706:Biopsy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000295:instrumentation*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D012004:Rectal Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology* / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000601:surgery