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Mucinous rectal cancer: concepts and imaging challenges

  • Special Section: Rectal Cancer
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Abdominal Radiology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Rectal adenocarcinoma with mucinous components is an uncommon type of rectal cancer with two distinct histologic subtypes: mucinous adenocarcinoma and signet-ring cell carcinoma. Mucin can also be identified as pattern of response after neoadjuvant treatment. On imaging modalities, mucin typically demonstrates high signal intensity on T2-weighted images, low attenuation on computed tomography, and may be negative on 18-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography. After neoadjuvant CRT, cellular and acellular mucin share similar imaging features, and differentiating them is currently the main challenge faced by radiologists. Radiologists should be aware of pros, cons, and limitations of each imaging modality in the primary staging and restaging to avoid misinterpretation of the radiological findings.

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This work was supported in part through the NIH/NCI Cancer Center Support Grant P30 CA008748.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Radiology, Hospital Sirio-Libanes, São Paulo, SP, Brazil

    Natally Horvat

  2. Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA

    Thomas A. Hope

  3. Department of Radiology, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI, USA

    Perry J. Pickhardt

  4. Department of Radiology, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, 1275 York Ave, Box 29, New York, NY, 10065, USA

    Iva Petkovska

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Horvat, N., Hope, T.A., Pickhardt, P.J. et al. Mucinous rectal cancer: concepts and imaging challenges. Abdom Radiol 44, 3569–3580 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00261-019-02019-x

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