Amide proton transfer-weighted MRI in predicting tumor budding grade of rectal adenocarcinoma: A prospective pilot study

Motivation: Tumor budding (TB) is an important additional prognostic factor for patients with colorectal cancer (CRC). Goal(s): Accurate TB assessment before surgery can help guide clinical decisions and improve patient prognosis. Approach: This study explored the feasibility of amide proton transfer-weighted (APTw) MR imaging in assessing TB grade in patients with rectal cancer (RC). Results: We found that RC lesions with high-grade TB had higher APTw 90th percentile values than low-grade TB. Impact: APTw MRI may be beneficial for implementing more accurate personalized treatment and improving tumor prognosis.