Pelvic MRI after induction chemotherapy and before long-course chemoradiation therapy for rectal cancer: What are the imaging findings?

ConclusionIn patients undergoing post-ICT MRI, tumour volume did not correlate with TNT response, but decreased lymph node sizes were significantly associated with complete response to TNT as well as DFS. Relative T2SI showed borderline correlation with TNT response.Key Points• MRI-based tumour volume after induction chemotherapy and before chemoradiotherapy did not correlate with overall tumour response at the end of all treatment.• Lymph node size after induction chemotherapy and before chemoradiotherapy was strongly associated with complete pathological response after all treatment.• Lymph node sizes at baseline and post-induction chemotherapy MRI correlated with disease-free survival.
Source: European Radiology - Category: Radiology Source Type: research