Diagnostic value of MR diffusion weighted imaging in differentiation of benign from malignant breast lesion

Objective To study the diagnostic value of magnetic resonance(MR)diffusion weighted imaging(DWI)in differentiation of benign from malignant breast lesion.Methods A total of 35 malignant lesions and 22 benign lesions in 53 cases were diagnosed pathologically.0,500 and 1000s/mm2 were taken as the diffusion sensitive coefficients(b value)and the upper bound of 95% confidence interval of apparent diffusion coefficient(ADC)value was taken as the standard for differenciating the benign from malignant lesion.The results of EWI were compared with those of pathology.Results DWI showed the benign in 95.5%(21/22)of benign lesions and the malignant in 97.1%(34/35)of malignant lesions with a sensitivity of 96.5%(55/57).The ADC value of malignant lesions was statistically different from that of normal or benign breast tissues,which was not significantly different between normal and benign breast tissues.When 0.98×10-3 mm2/s was taken as the the upper bound,the b value increased as the ADC level declined.Conclusion ADC value is an important parameter for differenciating the benign from the malignant breast lesions.ADC level is correlated with the types of breast classification and is influenced by the b value.A b value of 1000s/mm2 is of most significance for differenciating the benign from the malignant breast lesions.