title: Advanced imaging of colorectal cancer: From anatomy to molecular imaging.
abstract: Imaging techniques play a key role in the management of patients with colorectal cancer. The introduction of new advanced anatomical, functional, and molecular imaging techniques may improve the assessment of diagnosis, prognosis, planning therapy, and assessment of response to treatment of these patients. Functional and molecular imaging techniques in clinical practice may allow the assessment of tumour-specific characteristics and tumour heterogeneity. This paper will review recent developments in imaging technologies and the evolving roles for these techniques in colorectal cancer.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  • Imaging techniques play a key role in the management of patients with colorectal cancer. • Advanced imaging techniques improve the evaluation of these patients. • Functional and molecular imaging allows assessment of tumour hallmarks and tumour heterogeneity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Hospital Clínico Universitario de Santiago de Compostela, Choupana s/n, 15706, Santiago de Compostela, Spain. roberto.garcia.figueiras@sergas.es.
authors.forename: Roberto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: García-Figueiras
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Hospital Clínico Universitario de Santiago de Compostela, Choupana s/n, 15706, Santiago de Compostela, Spain.
authors.forename: Sandra
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Baleato-González
authors.affiliation: Paul Strickland Scanner Centre, Mount Vernon Cancer Centre, Northwood, Middlesex, England, HA6 2RN, UK.
authors.forename: Anwar R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Padhani
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, IVO (Instituto Valenciano de Oncología), C/ Beltrán Báguena, 8, 46009, Valencia, Spain.
authors.forename: Ana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Marhuenda
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Advanced Medical Imaging, Clinica Las Nieves, SERCOSA, Grupo Health Time, C/ Carmelo Torres 2, 23007, Jaén, Spain.|Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, USA.
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Luna
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Advanced Medical Imaging, Clinica Las Nieves, SERCOSA, Grupo Health Time, C/ Carmelo Torres 2, 23007, Jaén, Spain.
authors.forename: Lidia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Alcalá
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiotherapy, Hospital Clínico Universitario de Santiago de Compostela, Choupana s/n, 15706, Santiago de Compostela, Spain.
authors.forename: Ana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Carballo-Castro
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, Colorectal Cancer Group, Hospital Clínico Universitario de Santiago de Compostela, Choupana s/n, Santiago de Compostela, 15706, Spain.
authors.forename: Ana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Álvarez-Castro
keywords: Colorectal neoplasms; MRI, functional; Molecular imaging; Multimodal imaging; Perfusion imaging