ABSTRACT
The preoperative evaluation of pelvic floor tumors varies considerably depending upon
the histology of the tumor being evaluated. In some cases (especially anal canal and
some anal margin tumors) operative management may not be a part of the treatment plan.
In other cases, appropriate evaluation may play an important role in determining if
there is a role for surgery and, if so, defining what that role should be or what
operation should be employed. The purpose of this review is to discuss the various
options available for that evaluation. These include plain films of the pelvis, computed
tomography, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), contrast studies, ultrasonography, and
the do's and don'ts of biopsy. The applications to individual tumors are left to the
discussion in the articles that follow.
KEYWORD
Pelvic tumors - evaluation - radiography - magnetic resonance imaging - computed tomography