Rectal Cancer Staging

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The American Cancer Society estimates there will be 46,950 new cases of rectal cancer this year. The number of people diagnosed with colon or rectal cancer has dropped every year since the mid-1980s, primarily due to more screening and lifestyle changes that reduce risk. This trend holds mostly for older adults, however. Colon cancer cases in individuals under age 50 rose 2.4% annually between 2012 and 2021.

The ACR’s Rectal Cancer Staging module was created to help learners increase their knowledge and competence to improve the quality of rectal MRI technique, reporting, and interpretation. Originally released in December 2020, the module was updated and re-released two years later and currently has an expiration date of November 2026.

“The Rectal Cancer MRI Module on the ACR website is a valuable resource designed to enhance radiologists’ proficiency in interpreting rectal MRI for staging and treatment planning,” says Mukesh Harisinghani, MD, professor of radiology at Harvard Medical School. “This interactive module provides case-based learning, expert insights, and standardized reporting guidance — helping members improve diagnostic accuracy and confidence.”

Through the module, learners are shown how to adopt and implement evidence-based MRI protocols, standardized reporting, and patient-focused shared decision making. Specifically, the module teaches the learner how to recognize relevant stages of locally advanced rectal cancer using optimal MR interpretation guidelines, identify the advantages of structured and synoptic reporting of rectal cancer on MRI, and explain optimal MR imaging techniques for rectal cancer evaluation.

Real-World Learning

“This module is broken up into three different ‘chapters,’ with DICOM images interspersed throughout — giving the reader as close to a real-world learning experience as possible,” says Melissa Parker, ACR education specialist. “We are confident the updated module will continue to provide this unique resource to physicians.”

The Rectal Cancer Staging module has proven to be a useful source for both individuals and institutions alike, Parker says. “It is exciting to me to see the number of institutional orders that come through for this module, not only because it fulfills National Accreditation Program for Rectal Cancer requirements but also because it is being delivered to multidisciplinary teams where providing quality care for patients is paramount,” she says.

The College collaborated with the Society of Abdominal Radiology to provide rectal cancer staging education. The ACR module provides superior image quality, with annotated JPGs and a new embedded DICOM viewer with interactive image detection the user controls.

“By utilizing this module, radiologists can stay at the forefront of rectal cancer imaging, ensuring high-quality patient care and alignment with best practices,” Harisinghani says. “I would encourage members to take advantage of this tool to refine their skills and optimize clinical decision making.”

By Chad Hudnall, senior writer, ACR Press

The ACR Appropriateness Criteria® (AC) also provides evidence-based guidelines to assist referring physicians and other providers in making the most appropriate imaging or treatment decision. Get more information on the AC’s treatment of rectal cancer and other diseases in the AC Portal. For more information on group pricing for ACR’s Rectal Cancer Staging module, please contact Melissa Parker. If you have questions or comments about this article, please contact the author, Chad Hudnall.