Accuracy of magnetic resonance imaging in predicting dentate line invasion in low rectal cancer.

PURPOSE: To retrospectively assess the accuracy of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in predicting dentate line invasion in low rectal cancer.

MATERIALS AND

METHODS

Eighty-one patients with primary rectal cancer were assessed by dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI. The location of the dentate line was assessed on MRI in 27 patients with upper-mid rectal cancer. Two observers independently evaluated the distance between the distal tumor edge and the MRI-defined dentate line in 54 patients with low rectal cancer, and the imaging and histological findings were compared.

RESULTS

The MRI-defined dentate line was 24.0 ± 3.8 mm above the anal verge in patients with upper-mid rectal cancer. The dentate line invasion status agreed with the histological findings in 49/54 (91%) patients (κ = 0.72 [95% CI 0.50-0.95]) for observer 1, and in 51/54 (94%) patients (κ = 0.83 [0.65-1.00]) for observer 2 in patients with low rectal cancer. Interobserver agreement was good (κ = 0.83 [0.65-1.00]). The MRI-derived distance between the distal tumor edge and the dentate line had significant correlation with the histological distance (r = 0.86 for reader 1 and 0.75 for observer 2).

CONCLUSION

MRI demonstrates high accuracy in predicting dentate line invasion in low rectal cancer.