AIM:To evaluate the application o� magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to the preoperative staging o� advanced gastric cancer. METHODS:An MRI (SE sequence) was preoperatively per�ormed on 34 patients with advanced gastric cancer. The tumors were located at the cardia �undus in 11 patients, the corpus in 14, the antrum in ten and throughout the entire stomach in two. The images were analyzed and staged on the basis o� the criteria proposed by Matsushita M. The results were compared with the corresponding histopathologic findings to analyze the rate of diagnostic accordance. RESULTS:The diagnostic rate accuracy by MRI was 77.8% (seven out o� nince) �or T2 tumors; 77.3% (17 out o� 22) �or T3 tumors and 100% (three out o� three) �or T4 tumors, with the overall accuracy equaling 79.4%. When grades T3 and T4 tumors were considered as a single group to determine the presence or absence o� extraserosal invasion using MRI technology, the diagnostic accuracy was 88.3%. Statistically, MRI staging showed a signi�icant correlation with the corresponding histopathologic staging using the Spearman correlation test (r s′ = 0.743, P < 0.01). When the concordance between MRI and histopathologic staging results were studied according to tumor location, the staging accuracy was highest (90.9%) in tumors located in gastric cardia �undus.CONCLUSION: MR imaging is moderately valuable when staging advanced gastric cancer, especially �or tumors located in gastric cardia �undus.