The Value of Intravesical Echography Combined with Double‐surface Coil Magnetic Resonance Imaging in Staging Bladder Cancer

Correct staging of bladder tumours is essential for planning the best therapeutic strategy and is therefore directly related to the prognosis. In this study of 15 patients with bladder cancer, a new method using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) with a newly developed double-surface coil was tested for bladder cancer staging and compared with other existing techniques. Ultrasonography produced 2 cases of overstaging and 2 of understaging. This was due to the inability of this method to evaluate muscular infiltration accurately. All superficial bladder tumours were staged correctly with ultrasound with the exception of 1 case that was overstaged because of superficial tumour calcification. Double-surface coil MRI correctly staged all infiltrating tumours. Two small superficial tumours were missed by MRI, while another superficial tumour was overstaged. It is suggested that double-surface coil MRI and intravesical ultrasonography are good complementary examinations in the pre-operative staging of bladder tumours. Larger studies are necessary to prove the reliability of this conclusion.