The Values Of WB-DWI In Combination With Conventional CT/MRI In Diagnosing Systemic Metastases From Malignant Tumors

ObjectiveTo explore the values of whole body diffusion-weighted MRI (WB-DWI) andWB-DWI in combination with conventional CT/MRI in normal human tissues and organsand diagnosis of metastases of malignant tumors.Materials and MethodsBoth52healthy volunteers (25male and27female) and76patients with malignanttumors (41male and35female) underwent WB-DWI examinations.76patients withmalignant tumors underwent conventional CT and MRI examinations, few of whichunderwent enhanced CT OR MRI scan. Two experienced imaging physicians analyzed allof WB-DWI, CT and MR images by double-blind method. All metastases were confirmedby surgery or puncture pathology, imaging data (CT, MRI or US) and laboratory tests orfollow-up at least3months. The ADC values of normal adult tissues and organs werecalculated, compared the differences of The ADC values in abdominal organs, analyzed therelevance of age of prostate central zone, peripheral zone and the breast. The sensitivity,specificity and accuracy in the diagnosis of metastases of WB-DWI and WB-DWI incombination with conventional CT/MRI were compared. To compare the statisticaldifferences in the diagnosis of metastases.ResultsB value is equal to600s/mm2, the ADC values of normal adult cerebral cortex, whitematter, liver, spleen, pancreas, kidney, spine, lymph node, prostate central zone, peripheralzone and breast were (10-3mm2/s)0.961±0.079,0.827±0.017,1.784±0.179,1.258±0.132,2.319±0.317,2.735±0.253,0.641±0.094,1.538±0.187,1.809±0.423,2.571±0.162,1.771±0.410respectively. In the same b value, the ADC values of four abdominal organsexisted significant statistical differences (P<0.01). The ADC values of prostate peripheralzone and central zone in the group less than50years old were lower than the group more than50years old(P<0.05,P<0.01). However, the ADC values of breast in the group lessthan50years old were more than the group more than50years old(P<0.01). Thesensitivity, specificity and accuracy in detecting systemic metastases from malignanttumors were75.9%,25%,69.8%respectively by WB-DWI, and94.8%,67.5%,91.5%respectively by WB-DWI in combination with conventional CT/MRI. By the chi-squaretest, there were statistical differences in detecting systemic metastases from malignanttumors between the two methods (P>0.05).ConclusionThe ADC values of normal adult tissues and organs are different. We should know thenormal range and trends of the ADC values of different tissues and organs, which providesa good basis for further application and study of diffusion weighted imaging. WB-DWI incombination with conventional CT/MRI is a reasonable, effective and efficient screeningtool in detecting systemic metastases from malignant tumors, with high clinical value.