Colorectal Cancer:: Imaging Conundrums.

Progressive technological advancements in imaging have significantly improved the preoperative sensitivity for the detection of very small foci of regionally- or hematogenously-metastatic colorectal cancer. Unfortunately, this information has not translated to continued linear gains in patient survival, and might even result in the false-positive upstaging of some cases: these are two conundrums in the imaging of colorectal cancer. Both conundrums might be resolved by the widespread use of real-time imaging guidance during operative procedures. This might open the way for the widespread use of fluorodeoxyglucose PET/CT for the initial staging of patients with colorectal cancer.