Pseudo continuous arterial spin labeling perfusion MRI of advanced rectal cancer: utility in predicting response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy

This study focused on the feasibility of pseudo continuous arterial spin labeling (pCASL) perfusion MRI as a tool for predicting the response of advanced rectal cancer treated with neoadjuvant chemotherapy. Correlation between reduction rate of rectal cancer after chemotherapy and blood flow (BF) derived from pCASL or DCE MRI parameters within tumors was evaluated. Our results showed significant positive correlations between tumor reduction rate and BF (p = 0.001, ρ = 0.644) or Ktrans (p = 0.003, ρ= 0.579). These results suggested pCASL may have the potential to predict the treatment response of neoadjuvant chemothoerpy for advanced rectal cancer.