Development of a Rapid Intraoperative MRI Imaging Method for Rectal Cancer

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 21K08810
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 55020:Digestive surgery-related
• Research Institution: National Cancer Center Japan
• Principal Investigator: IKEDA KOJI 国立研究開発法人国立がん研究センター, 東病院, 医員 (70833862)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 小嶋 基寛 国立研究開発法人国立がん研究センター, 臨床開発センター, ユニット長 (30338470) ; 山口 雅之 国立研究開発法人国立がん研究センター, 先端医療開発センター, ユニット長 (90450577)
• Project Period (FY): 2021-04-01 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: 直腸癌 / 大腸癌 / CRM / MRI画像診断 / 切除標本

Outline of Final Research Achievements

To improve the prognosis of locally advanced rectal cancer, control of local recurrence is an issue, and securing a CRM (circumferential resection margin) of at least 1 mm during surgery is the key to reducing local recurrence. Currently, pathologic diagnosis of CRM distance takes about 1 week, and there is no technique to know it intraoperatively. In this study, 14 resected specimens were imaged with 3.0T high-resolution MRI, and the results were compared with pathology images to determine whether MRI imaging of the resected specimens was possible. As a result, it was confirmed that the margins of the tumor were consistent between the imaging and pathological diagnoses. In the future, we plan to conduct a study to reduce local recurrence to zero by performing rapid MRI diagnosis of the resected specimen intraoperatively.

Free Research Field

大腸癌

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

直腸癌手術において、術中に腫瘍を完全に切除できたかどうかを判定する方法は存在せず、術後に病理組織学的診断でその判断を行う。術中に切除標本をMRI画像診断することで腫瘍が取りきれたかどうかを判断できれば、①追加切除により十分なCRM確保を完遂する、②術中照射などの治療法を追加する、などの方策を加えることにより局所再発率を大幅に低減できる可能性があると考える。