The Utilization of Diffusion-weighted Magnetic Resonance Imaging in the Detection of Lymph-node Metastasis in Rectal Cancer

The incidence of rectal cancer has been increasing in China, which lays much pressure on doctors for more accurate diagnosis and treatment. Nodal involvement in rectal cancer is a poor prognostic factor for local and distant recurrence and is generally considered as an important indication for neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy before surgery or radiotherapy after surgery in patients. A positive nodal status will therefore influence the outcome of treatment. Magnetic resonance imaging(MRI) is now being widely used in TNM staging of rectal cancer; however conventional imaging methods are not satisfactory in the assessment of nodal status. This is a review on the utilization of MR diffusion-weighted imaging in the evaluation of nodal status in rectal cancer.