Currently, the use of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in patients with esophageal carcinoma is limited. However, the quality of MRI for esophageal carcinoma continues to improve and the importance of MRI in patients with esophageal carcinoma has been gradually recognized. Compared with endoscopic ultrasound and computed tomography applied in T and N staging, MRI has now achieved excellent results after the imaging technique has been optimized. We review the literature on MRI and discuss the future of MRI in esophageal carcinoma. While the role of MRI in staging, tumor volume target delineation and evaluation for preoperative chemoradiotherapy, prognosis and recurrence is still evolving. The application of MRI in esophageal carcinoma has a bright future and potential to improve precision of T and N staging as well as treatment delivery.
Keywords: esophageal carcinoma; magnetic resonance imaging staging; tumor volume target delineation.
© 2019 John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd.