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MRI staging of low rectal cancer

  • Gastrointestinal
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Abstract

Low rectal tumours, especially those treated by abdominoperineal excision (APE), have a high rate of margin involvement when compared with tumours elsewhere in the rectum. Correct surgical management to minimise this rate of margin involvement is reliant on highly accurate imaging, which can be used to plan the planes of excision. In this article we describe the techniques for accurate magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) assessment and a novel staging system for low rectal tumours. Using this staging system it is possible for the radiologist to demonstrate accurately tumour-free planes for surgical excision of low rectal tumours.

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Acknowledgements

The authors wish to acknowledge the Trial Management Group. Trial PIs: Professor RJ Heald, Mr BJ Moran, Dr. Torbjorn Holm, Mr. Ian Daniels (Surgery), Dr Gina Brown, Dr Lennart Blomqvist (Radiology), Professor Philip Quirke (Histopathology), Dr Diana Tait (Clinical Oncology), Dr Andy Norman, Dr Yolanda Barbachano (Statistics).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Pelican Cancer Foundation, North Hampshire Hospital, Aldermaston Road, Basingstoke, RG24 9NA, UK

    Oliver C. Shihab & Richard J. Heald

  2. Colorectal Research Unit, North Hampshire Hospital, Aldermaston Road, Basingstoke, RG24 9NA, UK

    Brendan J. Moran

  3. Leeds Institute for Molecular Medicine, St James’s Hospital, Leeds, LS9 7TF, UK

    Philip Quirke

  4. Department of Radiology, Royal Marsden Hospital, Downs Road, Sutton, Surrey, SM2 5PT, UK

    Gina Brown

Authors
  1. Oliver C. Shihab
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  2. Brendan J. Moran
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  3. Richard J. Heald
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  4. Philip Quirke
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  5. Gina Brown
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Gina Brown.

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Shihab, O.C., Moran, B.J., Heald, R.J. et al. MRI staging of low rectal cancer. Eur Radiol 19, 643–650 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00330-008-1184-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00330-008-1184-6

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