Abstract
Imaging techniques play a key role in the management of patients with colorectal cancer. The introduction of new advanced anatomical, functional, and molecular imaging techniques may improve the assessment of diagnosis, prognosis, planning therapy, and assessment of response to treatment of these patients. Functional and molecular imaging techniques in clinical practice may allow the assessment of tumour-specific characteristics and tumour heterogeneity. This paper will review recent developments in imaging technologies and the evolving roles for these techniques in colorectal cancer.Teaching Points• Imaging techniques play a key role in the management of patients with colorectal cancer.• Advanced imaging techniques improve the evaluation of these patients.• Functional and molecular imaging allows assessment of tumour hallmarks and tumour heterogeneity.
Highlights
Colorectal cancer (CRC) represents one of the most commonly diagnosed cancers worldwide
Conventional imaging techniques play a central role in CRC because they depict relationships of the tumour to surgical landmarks, the presence of important prognostic features, evaluate tumour response to treatment, and are useful for surveillance after therapy
T1-weighted dynamic contrast-enhanced (DCE)-magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) techniques are able to evaluate tissue perfusion and vascular leakage based on signal changes secondary to the presence of low-molecular-weight contrast media in the extracellular space (EES) [6–8, 31] (Fig. 4)
Summary
Colorectal cancer (CRC) represents one of the most commonly diagnosed cancers worldwide. Conventional imaging techniques play a central role in CRC because they depict relationships of the tumour to surgical landmarks (e.g., the circumferential resection margin in the rectum), the presence of important prognostic features, evaluate tumour response to treatment, and are useful for surveillance after therapy.
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