Radiomics based on T2-weighted and diffusion-weighted MR imaging for preoperative prediction of tumor deposits in rectal cancer

•This study developed and validated a radiomics nomogram combining T2-weighted and diffusion-weighted MR imaging with clinical factors to predict tumor deposits in patients with rectal cancer. The nomogram demonstrated superior performance compared to three other machine learning models, offering a promising and effective preoperative method for identifying tumor deposits in this population.