Soft-tissue tumors evaluated by line-scan diffusion-weighted imaging: influence of myxoid matrix on the apparent diffusion coefficient.
OBJECTIVE
To compare the apparent diffusion coefficients (ADCs) of myxoid and nonmyxoid soft-tissue tumors using line-scan diffusion-weighted imaging (LSDWI), and to investigate the myxoid matrix influence on ADCs of soft-tissue tumors.


METHODS
This study enrolled 44 patients with soft tissue tumors. They were divided into two groups: one with myxoid-containing soft-tissue tumors (N = 23) and the other with nonmyxoid soft-tissue tumors (N = 21). The 44 patients were also classified histologically into 26 with malignant soft-tissue tumors and 18 with benign soft-tissue tumors. LSDWI was performed using b values of 5 and 1000 second/mm(2). The ADCs of the tumors were calculated and compared for myxoid and nonmyxoid tumors and for benign and malignant tumors.


RESULTS
The ADC (mean +/- SD) was 1.92 +/- 0.41 x 10(-3) mm(2)/second in myxoid containing tumors, whereas the ADC was 0.97 +/- 0.33 x 10(-3) mm(2)/second in nonmyxoid tumors. The ADCs of the myxoid and nonmyxoid tumors were significantly different (P < 0.01). The ADCs were 1.45 +/- 0.59 x 10(-3) mm(2)/second in malignant tumors and 1.50 +/- 0.64 x 10(-3) mm(2)/second in benign tumors. The ADCs of benign and malignant soft-tissue tumors were not significantly different.


CONCLUSIONS
The ADCs of myxoid-containing soft-tissue tumors were significantly higher than those of nonmyxoid soft-tissue tumors. The myxoid matrix influences ADCs of both benign and malignant soft-tissue tumors.
Maeda
Masayuki
M
Department of Radiology, Mie University School of Medicine, 2-174 Edobashi, Tsu, Mie 514-8507, Japan. mmaeda@clin.medic.mie-u.ac.jp
Matsumine
Akihiko
A
Kato
Hiroya
H
Kusuzaki
Katsuyuki
K
Maier
Stephan E
SE
Uchida
Atsumasa
A
Takeda
Kan
K
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002648:Child; D038524:Diffusion Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009232:Myxoma / Q000473:pathology*; D012983:Soft Tissue Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric