Table 1 Proposed MRI protocol for cervical cancer staging
From: The value of advanced MRI techniques in the assessment of cervical cancer: a review
Sequence | Technical aspects | Comments | |
|---|---|---|---|
T1 axial | TSE/2D GRE | Whole abdomen and pelvis ST 5 mm | Assessment of lymph nodes and distant metastases |
T2 coronal | SS-TSE | Whole abdomen and pelvis ST 5 mm | Assessment of lymph nodes and distant metastases |
T2 sagittal | TSE | Small FOV ca. 0.5 × 0.5 mm in-plane resolution ST 3 mm | Tumour evaluation (size, extension), assessment of rectal and bladder infiltration |
T2 axial oblique | TSE | Small FOV ca. 0.5 × 0.5 mm in-plane resolution ST 3 mm perpendicular to long axis of cervical canal | Tumour extension, assessment of parametrial invasion and rectal and bladder infiltration |
T2 coronal oblique | TSE | Small FOV ca. 0.5 × 0.5 mm in-plane resolution ST 3 mm parallel to long axis of cervical canal | Tumour extension, assessment of parametrial invasion in a second imaging plane |
DWI axial oblique | EPI | Small FOV ST 3 mm b values 100, 600, 1,000 s/mm2 | Tumour extension, assessment of parametrial invasion |
Optional: multiphase 3D T1w fat-saturated sequences | GRE | ST 3 mm one native, four post-contrast scans | Alternatively DCE axial oblique (temporal resolution <10 s) |