Pelvic MRI: the role in the evaluation of bladder toxicity after radiotherapy of endometrial cancer.

The aim of this study was to assess the role of pelvic MRI in the evaluation of late (>12 months) bladder toxicity of pelvic radiotherapy (RT) and brachytherapy (BRT) in patients with endometrial cancer. These patients underwent hysterectomy followed by RT and BRT on the vaginal fund. All patients were disease-free. It is known that toxic effects are those that appear late or persist after six to twelve months from the end of radiation treatment. It is also known that radiation therapy may induce local tissue damage that in turn, depending on the severity and the volume affected, may lead to organ dysfunction. We used pelvic MRI performed with 1.5 T scanner (GE Signa) to evaluate bladder floor morphology, and then we compared these achievements with clinical manifestations. The clinical symptoms were classified using the LENT SOMA score (late effect of normal tissues - subjective objective management and analysis) developed by RTOG (Radiotherapy Oncology Group).