MRI appearance of perianal carcinoma in Crohn's disease.

Detection of carcinoma in perianal Crohn's disease can be difficult. The purpose of this study was to describe the MRI appearance of anorectal cancer in patients with perianal Crohn's disease. A total of six patients with anorectal carcinoma (four mucinous adenocarcinoma, two squamous) in Crohn's disease were retrospectively reviewed. Axial T2 and dynamic postcontrast fat-suppressed T1-weighted gradient echo sequences were performed, and findings were compared with 18 noncancer patients with perianal fistulae in Crohn's disease. MRI characteristics of carcinoma were irregular inner wall contours and delayed mild enhancement of internal tissue. The combined features of an irregular internal wall and delayed enhancing tissue were seen exclusively in cancer patients. The four cases of mucinous adenocarcinoma all displayed a pattern of lobulated fluid-filled cavities with delayed internal tissue enhancement. This pattern was not seen in any of the control cases. The presence of a double-layered enhancement pattern was seen in both cases of squamous carcinoma and in only one of four cases of mucinous adenocarcinoma and one of 18 noncancer cases. The pattern of contrast enhancement is valuable in the MRI diagnosis of carcinoma in perianal Crohn's disease. (c) 2007 Wiley-Liss, Inc.