Clinical applications of bladder magnetic resonance imaging: Beyond the VI-RADS® classification

Abstract

Bladder cancer is a cause for serious concern due to its high prevalence and the considerable challenges it poses in terms of morbidity, costs, and mortality. In recent years, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the bladder has proved to be a useful tool with a significant impact on both local staging and the assessment of neoadjuvant treatment responses. This article reviews the main anatomical, histological and radiological characteristics of bladder neoplasms, describes bladder MRI, explains the VI-RADS® classification—which should only be used to classify malignant lesions and in studies undertaken principally to evaluate the probability of tumour infiltration in the muscular layer—and specifies how this technique can optimise the clinical management of patients with bladder neoplasms.