A 76yr old patient undergoes a rectal MRI for local staging of a suspicious lesion seen on colonoscopy. Which of the following is the best sequence for assessing the primary tumour?
Correct Answer:
T2
T2 | |
T1 | |
STIR | |
T1 with contrast enhancement | |
T1 with IV contrast enhancement and fat suppression |
The best sequence for assessing a primary rectal tumour on MRI is currently high resolution T2 weighted imaging, orthogonal to the tumour plane. This sequence allows you to differentiate between tumours confined within the rectal wall, and those that extend beyond the muscularis propria.