Study of Correlation between MRI Morphology of Primary Tumor and Extramural Vascular Invasion in Rectal Cancer

Figure 3

Examples of nodular projection (NP) at the primary tumor’s edge on MRI. (a, b) HRT2WI of a 70-year-old female patient with rectal cancer (PT3N0) demonstrated multiple NP (black arrows) and an irregular thickened blood vessel (red arrow); nodules (green arrows) invaded the vascular cavity, and irregular distension (red arrows) was noticed in the vascular root. There was cord-like cancer embolus (blue arrows) in the vascular cavity. (c, d) Sagittal T2-weighted imaging and gadolinium-enhanced sagittal T1-weighted imaging of a 55-year-old man with rectal cancer (PT4N2) showed NP (red arrows) in the posterior wall protruding into the adjacent vessel. Besides, multiple cancerous emboli (multiple black arrows) were found in the superior rectal vein.

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