Magnetic resonance imaging in the diagnosis of bladder cancer (review)

The current review represents possibilities of magnetic-resonance imaging in bladder cancer diagnostics. The most important indicator that determines the bladder cancer prognosis and surgical treatment tactics is the muscle wall invasion. Dynamic-contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging and diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging can determine the depth of invasion, although although both are susceptible to overstaging. Magnetic resonance imaging and computed tomography have approximately the same accuracy in determining perivesical invasion as well as in relation to metastatic lymph nodes less than 8 mm in diameter. A promising new technique is the ultra-small paramagnetic iron oxide particles-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging.