1. Controversy in the initial nodal staging of rectal cancer (MRI or PET/CT?).
- Author
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López Llobet E, Coronado Poggio M, Lancha Hernández C, Martín Hervás C, Travaglio Morales D, Monachello Araujo D, Rodado Marina S, and Domínguez Gadea L
- Subjects
- Humans, Male, Female, Retrospective Studies, Middle Aged, Aged, Adult, Aged, 80 and over, Sensitivity and Specificity, Neoadjuvant Therapy, Lymph Nodes diagnostic imaging, Lymph Nodes pathology, Rectal Neoplasms diagnostic imaging, Rectal Neoplasms pathology, Rectal Neoplasms therapy, Positron Emission Tomography Computed Tomography methods, Neoplasm Staging, Magnetic Resonance Imaging methods, Lymphatic Metastasis diagnostic imaging
- Abstract
Objective: To compare the usefulness of MRI and PET/CT in nodal staging (N) of patients with locally advanced rectal cancer (LARC)., Material and Methods: Retrospective study of patients with LARC, who completed their initial staging with PET/CT, between January-20 and March-23. Regional nodes were assessed, and N was determined using both techniques according to TNM criteria. Concordance between MRI and PET/CT was analyzed. The accuracy of both techniques was calculated for those patients who underwent direct surgery. Non-regional pelvic lymph nodes were evaluated by both modalities., Results: Among the 73 patients, 48 were ultimately diagnosed with a locally advanced stage. Of these, 39 underwent neoadjuvant treatment (chemoradiotherapy) followed by surgery, and 9 direct surgery. In 25, the PET/CT extension study revealed distant disease, leading to systemic treatment. Weak concordance was observed between MRI and PET/CT in determining N (k=0.286; p<0.005). Out of 73 patients, 31(42%) exhibited concordance, and 42(58%) showed discordance. In 83% of the discordant cases, MRI overstaged compared to PET/CT, with 17 cases indicating nodal involvement (N+) by MRI and N0 by PET/CT. Diagnostic accuracy was 78% for both techniques. Sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value were 80%, 75%, 80%, and 75% for MRI, and 60%, 100%, 100%, and 67%, for PET/CT. PET/CT identified pelvic metastatic adenopathies in 8 patients that were not visible/doubtful by MRI., Conclusions: In the initial nodal staging of rectal cancer MRI overstages relative to PET/CT. Both modalities are complementary, PET/CT offers higher specificity and MRI higher sensitivity., (Copyright © 2024 Sociedad Española de Medicina Nuclear e Imagen Molecular. Published by Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.)
- Published
- 2024
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