The Evaluation Of Diffusion-weighted Imaging For Predicting The Response After Chemoembolization Of Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Objective: To evaluate diffusion-weighted imaging for predicting theresponse after chemoembolization of hepatocellular carcinoma bycomparing the pretreatment ADC values.Materials and methods: The30patients were chosen who werediagnosed with hepatocellular carcinoma and never treated with TACE.Before TACE every patient was checked with MR DWI (b=400s/mm2，600s/mm2，800s/mm2); and the nodular type nodules were selected. Thedates were grouped into two groups according to the follow-up imagesresults: the responding group and nonresponding one. The mean ADCvalues were measured and the coefficient of variance (CV) was calculated.Then we compared the two groups.Results:36areas of30patients were chosen. The ADC values(10-3mm2/s) of the responding group and nonresponding group atdifferent b values (b=400s/mm2，600s/mm2，800s/mm2) were1.29±0.25、1.49±0.26，1.23±0.27、1.47±0.28，1.17±0.26、1.45±0.26; there werestatistic difference between the two groups at the same b value. The CVsof the responding group and nonresponding group at different b valueswere0.102±0.042、0.135±0.047，0.095±0.040、0.157±0.035，0.097±0.040、0.140±0.058; there were statistic difference between thetwo groups at the same b value. The areas of the ADC values ROC atdifferent b values were0.708、0.752、0.762separately, and the thresholds、 sensitivity and specificity were1.44×10-3mm2/s、66.7%、81%，1.43×10-3mm2/s、66.7%、85.7%，1.45×10-3mm2/s、55.3%、95.2%;The areas of the CVs ROC at different b values were0.724、0.848、0.768separately, and the thresholds、 sensitivity and specificity were0.116、73.3%、85.7%，0.121、86.7%、90.5%，0.117、80%、85.7%.Conclusion: The mean ADC values and CVs of nodules ofhepatocellular carcinoma could predict the response after transarterialchemoembolization, and the lower ADC values and CVs, the better of theprognosis. When the b value was800s/mm2, the prediction of ADC valuewas better; and when the b value was600s/mm2, the prediction of CVswas better.