title: Pre-operative staging of rectal cancer: a review of imaging techniques.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The treatment of rectal cancer has diversified in recent years, presenting the clinician and patient with increasingly challenging management decisions. At the heart of this decision-making process are two competing interests; more radical but more morbid treatments which optimize oncological outcome, and less radical treatments which preserve organs and function but may pose a greater risk of disease recurrence.
  
  
  METHODS
  Imaging plays a vital role informing this decision-making process, both by providing prognostic details about the cancer before the start of treatment and by updating this picture as the cancer responds or fails to respond to treatment. There is a range of available imaging modalities, each with its strengths and weaknesses. Optimizing rectal cancer treatment requires a clear understanding of the important questions that imaging needs to answer and the optimum imaging strategy. Expert Commentary: This article provides an evidence-based review of the available imaging techniques and an expert commentary on the best imaging strategy.
authors.affiliation: a Department of Colorectal Surgery , Hull and East Yorkshire NHS Trust , Hull , UK.|b Department of Surgery and Cancer , Imperial College London , London , UK.
authors.forename: Chris
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Hunter
authors.affiliation: b Department of Surgery and Cancer , Imperial College London , London , UK.|c Department of Academic Radiology , The Royal Marsden Hospital , Sutton , UK.
authors.forename: Gina
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Brown
mesh_terms: D059186:Chemoradiotherapy, Adjuvant; D017024:Chemotherapy, Adjuvant; D003952:Diagnostic Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D019160:Endosonography; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D020360:Neoadjuvant Therapy; D009367:Neoplasm Staging / Q000379:methods*; D000072078:Positron Emission Tomography Computed Tomography; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012004:Rectal Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D016896:Treatment Outcome
keywords: Rectal cancer; computed tomography; magnetic resonance imaging; positron emission tomography/computed tomography; response; staging; ultrasound