MRI to guide clinical management of rectal cancer: updated consensus recommendations from the European Society of Gastrointestinal and Abdominal Radiology (ESGAR)—PART I primary staging
Question Since the last ESGAR rectal imaging guideline update, the rectal cancer treatment landscape has further evolved, necessitating updates to the existing guidelines. Findings An online consensus process involving 26 panellists led to 96% consensus across 121 items discussed, including 22 general items and 55 related to primary staging. Clinical relevance Key updates related to primary staging include more detailed recommendations for image acquisition, adoption of the sigmoid take-off, refined criteria for MRF involvement, a new patient-level approach for cN-assessment, and recommendations on the limited use of DWI.
Authors
- Doenja M. J. Lambregts (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2990-0099)
- D. Ippolito
- Saugata Sen (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0418-712X)
- Inês Santiago (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7711-3669)
- Bengı Gürses (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2482-3445)
- Luís Curvo‐Semedo (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6441-227X)
- Andrea Laghi
- Andreas M. Hötker (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4748-8758)
- Søren Rafael Rafaelsen (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5182-5545)
- Soleen Stocker-Ghafoor
- P. Rodríguez Carnero (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1877-9847)
- Raphaëla C. Dresen (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6593-4582)
- Ivana Blažić (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4094-1791)
- Kirsten Gormly (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9794-5507)
- Marc J. Gollub (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6008-0730)
- Christine Hoeffel (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2551-3545)
- Damiano Caruso (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9285-4764)
- Cinthia D. Ortega (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6013-8982)
- Regina G. H. Beets‐Tan (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8533-5090)
- Juan-Ramón Ayuso
- Filippo Crimí
- Sofia Gourtsoyianni
- Lennart Blomqvist
- Seung Ho Kim
- Svetlana Balyaniskova
- Monique Maas
- Vicky Goh
- Emilio Quaia
- Natally Horvat
- ESGAR Rectal Imaging Guideline Group
- Jaap Stoker
- Max J. Lahaye
Institutions
- Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (US)
- Humanitas University (IT)
- Koç University (TR)
- University of Padua (IT)
- King's College London (GB)
- Hospital Israelita Albert Einstein (BR)
- Karolinska Institutet (SE)
- Maastricht University (NL)
- Tata Medical Center (IN)
- University Hospital of Zurich (CH)
- Inje University Haeundae Paik Hospital (KR)
- Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Reims (FR)
- King's College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust (GB)
- Hospital Clínic de Barcelona (ES)
- Region of Southern Denmark (DK)
- Aretaeio Hospital (GR)
- Hospital da Luz (PT)
- Hospital Universitario de La Princesa (ES)
- Zemun Hospital (RS)
- Institut de Recherche en Cancérologie de Montpellier (FR)
- Kingston Hospital (GB)
- Hospital das Clínicas da Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo (BR)
- Mayo Clinic in Florida (US)
- Maastro Clinic (NL)
- IRCCS Humanitas Research Hospital (IT)
- The University of Adelaide (AU)
- University of Milano-Bicocca (IT)
- University of Coimbra (PT)
- Sapienza University of Rome (IT)
- Université de Reims Champagne-Ardenne (FR)
Publication Details
- Journal
- European Radiology
- Published
- 2026-01-29
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1007/s00330-025-12274-w
- Citations
- 2
- Primary Topic
- Colorectal Cancer Surgical Treatments
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 48.39