Value of high-resolution magnetic resonance imaging and dynamic contrast-enhanced scanning in the preoperative diagnosis of rectal cancer in older patients
Year: 2025
Type: article
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: BACKGROUND Rectal cancer is a common malignant tumor of the digestive system, with older patients representing the predominantly affected population. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has been widely applied in preoperative tumor assessment; however, the value of high-resolution MRI (HR-MRI) combined with dynamic contrast-enhanced (DCE) scanning in the preoperative diagnosis of rectal cancer in older patients remains unclear. AIM To evaluate the value of HR-MRI combined with DCE scanning in the preoperative diagnosis of rectal cancer in older patients. METHODS This retrospective study included 148 consecutive older female patients with rectal cancer who were treated at our hospital between December 2020 and December 2024. Clinical data and HR-MRI and DCE scan findings were collected. Histopathological examination after surgical resection served as the gold standard. The diagnostic accuracy of MRI for preoperative T and N staging was calculated. Consistency, sensitivity, and specificity between HR-MRI combined with DCE scanning and pathological staging were analyzed using the k test. RESULTS Among the 148 patients, the overall accuracy of T staging was 84.5%. Sensitivity for T1, T2, T3, and T4 staging was 75.00%, 62.50%, 89.47%, and 90.48%, respectively, whereas specificity was 100.00%, 94.35%, 79.25%, and 96.06%, respectively. T staging based on HR-MRI combined with DCE scanning showed good agreement with pathological staging (k = 0.8176, P < 0.001). For N staging, sensitivity and specificity were 54.88% and 84.85% for N0, 36.96% and 72.55% for N1, and 70.00% and 73.44% for N2, respectively; agreement with pathological N staging was poor (k = 0.259, P < 0.001). CONCLUSION HR-MRI combined with DCE scanning demonstrates high diagnostic accuracy for T staging of rectal cancer in older patients and can provide a theoretical basis for treatment planning. However, its diagnostic accuracy for N staging requires improvement.
Authors: Yan-Lei Gao, Hui-Na Li, Qiang Wang, Wen Shen
Institutions: Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin First Center Hospital
Language: English
Topic: MRI in cancer diagnosis
Subfield: Radiology, Nuclear Medicine and Imaging
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: diamond
OpenAlex ID: W4416599255