Rectal cancer staging: Multidetector-row computed tomography diagnostic accuracy in assessment of mesorectal fascia invasion

Figure 4 Images obtained in a 68 years-old man with high rectal cancer. A: Axial computed tomography (CT) image shows a tumor as a circumferential thickening in the bowel wall; in the anterior wall (arrow) the tumor seems to involve the mesorectal fascia (MRF); B: Multiplanar reconstruction CT images shows a visible fat line between the tumor and the MRF (arrowhead); C: Axial T2-weighted magnetic resonance image shows a rectal wall involvement by the tumor but also a wide fat pad between the tumor and the free MRF; D: DWIBS image (b-value 1000), the tumor is depicted as a high signal circumferential thickening of the bowel wall, in comparison with the lower signal intensity of surrounding tissue.