Fig. 18
From: MRI of rectal cancer—relevant anatomy and staging key points
Two different patients with two different early rectal cancers are depicted in a and b. In a, a thin submucosal fat plane is observed between the intermediate signal intensity tumour and the tented muscularis propria. Tumour may therefore be staged as mrT1sm1/2. Pathology of the total mesorectal excision specimen revealed a pT1sm1; in b, the tumour abuts the inner circular layer of the muscularis propria and may therefore be staged as mrT1sm3/earlyT2. Pathology of the total mesorectal excision specimen revealed a pT1sm3