Technique to match mesorectal lymph nodes imaging findings to histopathology: node-by-node comparison

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Radiology
• Pathology

Background:

• Accurate staging of rectal cancer is crucial for treatment planning.
• Lymph node status significantly impacts neoadjuvant therapy decisions.
• Matching imaging findings with histopathology is essential for predicting lymph node status.

Purpose of the Study:

• To report a technique for node-by-node pairing of mesorectal lymph nodes between imaging and histopathology.
• To establish a standardized method for correlating imaging and histological findings.

Main Methods:

• Fifty-two rectal cancer patients underwent preoperative MRI.
• Mesorectal lymph nodes were analyzed histopathologically post-surgery.
• Imaging findings were matched node-by-node with histopathological results.

Main Results:

• 346 mesorectal lymph nodes were identified on imaging; 313 were histopathologically confirmed.
• The node-matching technique demonstrated a 90.5% success rate.
• Analysis revealed 280 benign and 33 malignant lymph nodes.

Conclusions:

• The developed technique for matching mesorectal lymph node imaging to histopathology is feasible and effective.
• This method simplifies technical procedures and offers a standardized approach.
• The technique supports future research correlating imaging and histological data for mesorectal lymph nodes.