Radiology of Endometrial Cancer Receiving Adjuvant Radiotherapy

The treatment of endometrial cancer (EC) includes surgical procedures which clinicians follow with radiotherapy (RT) for patients who have specific risk factors, but there is insufficient research about how RT affects pelvic blood vessels and rectal tissues during the first period after treatment. The research used contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (CE-MRI) to study changes in pelvic blood vessel dimensions and rectal tissue parameters that occur during the initial stages of external beam radiotherapy (EBRT) treatment for EC. Methods: Ninety-five female patients who underwent postoperative adjuvant EBRT for EC were included in the study. CE-MRI examinations were performed before radiotherapy (RT0) and at the 3-month post-radiotherapy follow-up (RT1). Rectum internal diameter (RID), rectum external diameter (RED), right external iliac artery diameter (REIAD), left external iliac artery diameter (LEIAD), right femoral artery diameter (RFAD), and left femoral artery diameters (LFAD) were measured in centimeters. Paired comparisons between RT0 and RT1 measurements were performed.

When the RED, RFAD, LFAD, and LEIAD were compared with the measurements conducted RT0 and RT1, it was seen that they showed significant decreases at RT1 when compared to the initial measurements (P < 0.05). The findings demonstrated no significant changes in RID and REIAD measurements. The findings indicate that EBRT treatment produces different reactions in early tissue responses of the body.

In the measurements of the vessels and rectum diameters using CE-MRI before and 3 months after EBRT, it was observed that EBRT therapy resulted in detectable reductions of rectal wall measurements and particular blood vessels in the pelvic area. The initial signs of radiation tissue damage have been detected through these changes that need additional evaluation through extended patient monitoring and complete medical evaluation.