MRI AND ENDOSONOGRAPHY IN PREOPERATIVE ST AGING OF ADVANCED RECTAL CARCINOMAS AFTER HYPOTHERMORADIOCHEMOTHERAPY

Purpose: Comparison of diagnostic accuracy of staging of endorectal so nography (ES) and body coil MRI after preoperative hyperthermoradioche motherapy in patients with advanced rectal cancer. Methods: Prospectiv e analysis of MRI and ES in 30 patients after hyperthermoradiochemothe rapy and correlation with histopathological patterns. Results: T-stagi ng by MRI was correct in 47% and by ES in 53% of the cases. Despite si milar accuracy of staging in T-0- and T-1-tumours, we found different accuracies concerning T-2-tumour staging about 63% versus 73% (MRI/ES) , concerning perirectal infiltration 70% for both techniques, concerni ng invasion of adjacent organs 90% versus 87%, and concerning lymph no de metastases without respect to the N-stage 63% versus 63%. Conclusio n: Both imaging modalities provide useful information for operation pl anning despite limited accuracy after hyperthermoradiochemotherapy. Th e body coil MRI does not seem to be severely inferior to ES in postthe rapeutic staging, despite better contour line imaging by ES. With resp ect to the determination of invasion of other organs, MRI seems to be more useful.