Initial Study of Diagnostic Value in Diffusion Weighted Imaging of Breast Neoplasm

Objective To evaluate the value of diffusion weighted imaging (DWI) and apparent diffusion coefficients (ADC) in distinguishing benign and malignant breast lesions. Methods Twenty-eight patients, 8 of them with benign lesions,and 20 with malignant lesions were examined. All cases were confirmed by pathologic diagnosis. Two sequences of echo planar diffusion imaging were used, b value (×10 -3 mm 2/s) was 1000, 0 and 1100,300,30 respectively. Then the ADC value were calculated. Results There was no statistical difference between the ADC value of normal breast tissue and benign lesions, and the ADC value of malignant lesions was statistically different from that of normal breast tissue, and so was between benign and malignant lesions at b value of 0 and 1000. Three of them were not statistically different at b value of 30 and 300. Benign and malignant lesions were not statistically different at b value of 300 and 1100. The sensitivity and specificity of diagnostic indices of ADC were 69.6% and 75.0%. Conclusion DWI is a rapid and feasible method in detecting breast lesions. The ADC value with large difference can be used to differentiate malignant and benign lesions.