Adoption of enhanced multislice spiral computed tomography combined with magnetic resonance imaging in staging and preoperative assessment of colon cancer patients

Abstract

Background

Colon cancer (CC) refers to malignant tumor of the digestive tract worldwide and is also among the cancers with high mortality rates.

Objective

The aim of this work was to evaluate the diagnostic performance of multislice spiral CT (MSCT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and MSCT + MRI in different stages of colon cancer (CC) (T1-T2, T3, T4). This work compared the differences in sensitivity (Sen), specificity (Spe), accuracy (Acc), and area under the curve (AUC) values among these methods and explored the optimal diagnostic strategy.

Methods

A total of 120 patients with CC confirmed by pathological biopsy and 30 individuals suspected of CC but without detected tumors (as controls) were selected. All subjects underwent MSCT, MRI, and combined MSCT + MRI examinations. Statistical analyses of Sen, Spe, Acc, and AUC values were performed.

Results

In the T1-T2 stage, MSCT had a Sen of 85.2%, Acc of 86.8%, and an AUC value of 0.878; MRI had a Spe of 91.0%, Sen of 81.6%, and an AUC value of 0.865; the combined MSCT + MRI examination had a Sen of 90.6% and an AUC of 0.903. In the T3 stage, MRI had a significantly higher Sen (91.7%) than MSCT (80.0%), with an AUC of 0.887, while the combined MSCT + MRI examination had a Sen of 98.3% and an AUC of 0.942. In the T4 stage, the combined MSCT + MRI examination performed the best, with a Sen of 100% and an AUC of 0.933, and compared with MSCT or MRI alone, the differences were statistically significant (P < 0.05).

Conclusion

MSCT and MRI each have their own advantages in the diagnosis of different stages of CC. MSCT is suitable for initial screening in the T1-T2 stage, while MRI is more effective in assessing tumor invasiveness in the T3 and higher stages. The combined MSCT + MRI examination can provide more comprehensive diagnostic information, especially in the T4 stage, where it shows the highest Sen and Acc. Selecting the appropriate examination method based on the patient's specific condition and staging needs is of great significance in improving the diagnostic Acc of CC.