How can you differentiate between postoperative granulation tissue and residual tumor on MRI in the early postoperative period?

Granulation tissue typically begins to form around 72 hours post-surgery and may enhance on MRI. Early postoperative enhancement (less than 72 hours) is more likely to indicate residual tumor rather than granulation tissue. Key diagnostic features include the pattern and timing of enhancement; residual tumor often shows nodular enhancement, whereas granulation tissue may appear more linear or diffuse. A common pitfall is mistaking early granulation tissue for residual tumor, which can be avoided by considering the timing of imaging and clinical context.