The Application Value Of Diffusion-weighted MR Imaging For Early Response To Chemotherapy In Liver Metastases

ObjectiveTo determine whether change of apparent diffusion coefficient(ADC)values could predict early response to chemotherapy in liver metastases(LMs).Materials and methodsWe studied 50 patients with LMs(80 lesions)who had undergone conventional magnetic resonance imaging(MRI)and diffusion weighted imaging(DWI)at 3 days before chemotherapy andlwk,2weeks and 4weeks after chemotherapy.Selected patients were divided into the effective group and the invalid group.The grouping reference was based on MRI according to Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors(RECIST).Results80 lesions were classified as 42 cases and 38 cases in the effective group and the invalid group.The difference in maximum tumor diameter of the effective group between pre-chemotherapy and 4weeks after chemotherapy was significant(p<0.05).Pretreatment mean ADC value(1.06±0.07×10-3 mm2/s)of the effective group was significantly lower than that of the invalid group(1.22±0.14×10-3 mm2/s)(p<0.05);After 1 week of chemotherapy,the mean ADC value of the effective group increased slightly and the mean ADC value of the invalid group decreased slightly,with no statistical significance.After 2 weeks and 4 weeks of chemotherapy,the mean ADC value of the effective group increased significantly but not in the invalid group.The results of ROC curve showed that areas of under the curve were 0.846,pretreatment ADC value of 1.15x10-3 mm2/s concluded LMs to chemotherapy ineffective sensitivity and specificity value were 79.3%and 88.5%,respectively.ConclusionThe pretreatment and 2 wks after treatment ADC value may be helpful to predict early response to chemotherapy in LM.