The value of diffusion-weighted imaging in combination with T2-weighted imaging for rectal cancer detection

Can diffusion-weighted MRI determine complete responders after neoadjuvant chemoradiation for locally advanced rectal cancer?

“…According to their preliminary results, the mean sensitivity and specificity of high-bvalue DW-MRI for the detection of colorectal adenocarcinoma were 90.9% (30/33; 95% CI, 74.5%-97.6%) and 100% (15/15; 95% CI, 74.6%-100%), respectively. Similiarly, Rao et al (25) proved the added value of DW-MRI imaging to conventional T2-weighted imaging in the detection of rectal cancer. In this study, all rectal tumors were visible before treatment and had higher SIs relative to the normal rectal wall on DW-MR images with b-800 values.…”

Value of diffusion-weighted imaging in the detection of viable tumour after neoadjuvant chemoradiation therapy in patients with locally advanced rectal cancer: comparison withT2weighted and PET/CT imaging

“…DWI has several potential benefits in the assessment of tumour localisation and staging [11,12]. One report using 1.5 T MRI [15] demonstrated that diagnostic accuracy in evaluating CR after CRT of advanced rectal cancer significantly increased when DWI was added to conventional MR imaging.…”

“…Because high b-value DWI provides better contrast, thereby minimising perfusion effect, yielding greater tissue diffusivity and reducing T 2 shine-through effect [27], we used the values of 0 and 1000 s mm -2 to generate the ADC map. Previous studies of DWI for colorectal cancer have used the same b-values [11,12,15]. ADC maps were automatically constructed on a pixel-by-pixel basis.…”

“…With the introduction of higher field-strength MR scanners and the parallel imaging technique for rectal MRI, diffusionweighted imaging (DWI) has been shown to have several potential benefits for the assessment of tumour localisation and staging [11,12]. The usefulness of DWI at 1.5 T in measuring treatment response has been measured in several clinical studies [13][14][15].…”

Preoperative staging and treatment options in T1 rectal adenocarcinoma

“…Recently it is now being recognised that this method has clinical implications also in body imaging. One study [53] showed that this method could reliably detect colorectal cancer, and can help guide the radiologist to the right area for the timeconsuming high-resolution Tesla 2 images.…”