Diffusion Weighted Imaging In The Diagnosis Of Breast Lesions At 3.0 Tesla MRI

Objective To evaluate the clinical value of diffusion weighted imaging (DWI) for the diagnosis of breast lesions at 3.0 Tesla MRI.Methods The features of DWI signals and ADC map of 20 normal breasts, 23 benign lesions and 37 malignant ones were observed. The statistical differences of ADC values calculated respectively with b values of 1200 and 0 s/mm2, 800 and 0 s/mm2, 500 and 0 s/mm2 in normal breasts, malignant breast lesions and benign ones were analyzed in order to find out the differential diagnosis value of ADC values in breast lesions. The ADC values each with b value of 1200 and 0 s/mm2, 800 and 0 s/mm2, 500 and 0 s/mm2 were also calculated and compared to obtain an applicable b value in diagnosis for breast lesions at 3.0 Tesla MRI.Results The signal of lesions were mostly high in DWI, the malignant lesions were higher than benign ones .The mean ADC value of normal breasts is (1.77±0.17)×10-3 mm2/s, the benign lesions were (1.57±0.14 )×10-3 mm2/s and malignant (0.94±0.09)×10-3 mm2/s with b value 1200 and 0 s/mm2. The higher of the b values, the lower of the ADC values are. There are significant statistically differences of ADC values in normal breast, benign and malignant lesions as well as ADC values calculated with different b values. The sensitivity, specificity and accuracy of diagnosis based on ADC values 0.97×10-3 mm2/s is 83.78%, 91.30%, 86.96% respectively.Conclusions The b value 1200 and 0 s/mm2 is most suitable for diagnosis of breast lesions at 3.0 Tesla MRI. DWI is sensitive in detecting lesions and high diagnostic specificity is obtained by using 0.97×10-3 mm2/s of ADC value to discriminate the benign and malignant lesions of breast.