1-mm CT outperforms 3-mm MRI in detecting lymph node metastasis

A study comparing 1-mm computed tomography (CT) and 3-mm magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) found that 1-mm CT significantly outperformed 3-mm MRI in detecting lateral pelvic lymph node (LPLN) metastases from rectal cancer. 1-mm CT detected LPLNs more frequently (p < 0.001), while the presence of swollen LPLNs indicated a 28.4% metastasis rate. Additionally, 3-mm MRI showed a 34% diagnostic performance increase for swollen LPLNs, suggesting a strategic evaluation approach for preoperative assessments.