The aim of the current study is to investigate the diagnostic value of R2* mapping versus reduced field-of-view diffusion-weighted imaging (rDWI) of the primary lesion of rectal cancer for preoperative prediction of nonenlarged lymph node metastasis (NLNM). Eighty-one patients with pathologically confirmed rectal cancer underwent preoperative R2* mapping and rDWI sequences before total mesorectal excisions and accompanying regional lymph node dissections. Two radiologists independently performed whole-tumor measurements of R2* and apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) parameters on primary lesions of rectal cancer. Patients were divided into positive (NLNM+) and negative (NLNM-) groups based on their pathological analysis. The tumor location, maximum diameter of the tumor, and maximum short diameter of the lymph node were assessed. R2* and ADC, pT stage, tumor grade, status of mesorectal fascia, and extramural vascular invasion were also studied for their potential relationships with NLNM using multivariate logistic regression analysis. The NLNM+ group had significantly higher R2* (43.56 +/- 8.43 vs. 33.87 +/- 9.57, p < 0.001) and lower ADC (1.00 +/- 0.13 vs. 1.06 +/- 0.22, p = 0.036) than the NLNM- group. R2* and ADC were correlated to lymph node metastasis (r = 0.510, p < 0.001 for R2*; r = -0.235, p = 0.035 for ADC). R2* and ADC showed good and moderate diagnostic abilities in the assessment of NLNM status with corresponding area-under-the-curve values of 0.795 and 0.636. R2* provided a significantly better diagnostic performance compared with ADC for the prediction of NLNM status (z = 1.962, p = 0.0498). The multivariate logistic regression analysis demonstrated that R2* was a compelling factor of lymph node metastasis (odds ratio = 56.485, 95% confidence interval: 5.759-554.013; p = 0.001). R2* mapping had significantly higher diagnostic performance than rDWI from the primary tumor of rectal cancer in the prediction of NLNM status.