Topic Highlight
Copyright ©2014 Baishideng Publishing Group Co., Limited. All rights reserved.
World J Gastroenterol. Apr 28, 2014; 20(16): 4546-4557
Published online Apr 28, 2014. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v20.i16.4546
State-of-the-art preoperative staging of gastric cancer by MDCT and magnetic resonance imaging
Joon-Il Choi, Ijin Joo, Jeong Min Lee
Joon-Il Choi, Department of Radiology, Seoul St. Mary’s Hospital, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul 137-701, South Korea
Ijin Joo, Jeong Min Lee, Department of Radiology and Institute of Radiation Medicine, Clinical Research Institute, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul 110-744, South Korea
Author contributions: Choi JI and Lee JM designed and performed the research; Choi JI, Lee JM and Joo I wrote the manuscript.
Correspondence to: Jeong Min Lee, MD, PhD, Department of Radiology and Institute of Radiation Medicine, Clinical Research Institute, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul National University College of Medicine, 101 Daehak-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul 110-744, South Korea. jmsh@snu.ac.kr
Telephone: +82-2-20723107 Fax: +82-2-7436385
Received: October 28, 2013
Revised: December 20, 2013
Accepted: January 14, 2014
Published online: April 28, 2014
Core Tip

Core tip: With the technical development of multiplanar imaging and 3D reformation, the diagnostic performance of Multidetector row computed tomography for T-staging has improved. N-staging of advanced gastric cancer has also improved, but the diagnostic effectiveness of N-staging is limited for patients with early gastric cancer. The limitations of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) once prevented its use in evaluating gastric cancer; however, the development of high-speed sequences has made MRI a feasible tool. The intrinsic strength of MRI is the ability to produce contrast in soft tissue, and the use of tissue-specific contrast agents may aid in gastric cancer staging.