Abstract

Cancer of Colorectum rank as third amongst the most frequently diagnosed tumors in the world, after lung and breast cancers. • Dedicated MRI plays a critical role in rectal cancer management and the outcome of treatment as well as the post-surgical evaluation.in details, MRI is requested to answer the; • Assessment of the primary tumor and its invasion through wall. • Number, size and morphology of the accompanying lymph nodes. • Planning for feasibility of sphincter preserving surgery • Follow up after therapy.. The evolution of surgical techniques and the shift to neoadjuvant chemotherapyradiation therapy, along with the prognostic heterogeneity of stage T3 tumors, necessitate accurate preoperativestaging-primarily in terms of tumor (T) and nodal (N) staging, depth of tumor invasion (early versusadvanced stage T3 tumors), and the relationship of the tumor to the potential CRM. The accurate assessment allows the triage of patients to up front surgical resection, short / long course preoperative radiation therapy or chemotherapy-radiation therapy with appropriate modification of the CRM. This study (in parallel with other studies from other institutions), was made in National Cancer Institute-(NCI) Cairo university in aim to emphasize the role of MRI in the preoperative staging, and post-operative follow up of rectal carcinoma to get the highest accuracy in the management of rectal cancer.