Radiological Evaluation of Carcinoma Colon and Comparison with Histopathological Examination: A Cross-sectional Study

Introduction: Colorectal Cancer (CRC) is the fourth most common cancer diagnosed in the world. Computed Tomography (CT) and Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) are useful in preoperative planning and postoperative follow-up for detecting the presence of distant metastases after surgery. Aim: To evaluate the role of CT and MRI in diagnosis of CRC by associating the cancer diagnosis and staging by Histopathological Examination (HPE). Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional observational study was done on 82 subjects with CRC attending the Trichy SRM Medical College and hospital from January 2018 to May 2020. Only those patients who underwent biopsy were included in the study. Biopsy reports of 82 patients were obtained from the Department of Surgery and Histopathology. The staging was done by Tumour Node Metastasis (TNM) staging system. CT, MRI stage, regions involved and HPE reports were considered as outcome variables. Demographic parameters like age, sex were considered as explanatory variables. Descriptive analysis was carried out by mean and standard deviation for quantitative variables, frequency and proportion for categorical variables. Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 22.0 was used for statistical analysis. Results: The mean age of the study population was 58.6±14.05 years (range is 22-84 years). Majority (59.76%) were males. Rectum (42.68%) was the most commonly involved site. In staging with biopsy, 32.92% had stage III CRC and 36.59% had stage IV CRC. With CT/MRI staging, 30.4% had stage III CRC and 29.2% had stage IV CRC. Conclusion: CT/MRI scan is an excellent modality in diagnosing malignant lesions of the colon and rectum, as it can accurately describe the extent of involvement of primary or secondary lesions but they are less sensitive as compared to biopsy for cases of CRC involving lymph node and with distant metastasis