title: Comparison of 3.0-and 1.5-tesla diffusion-weighted imaging in the visibility of breast cancer.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to compare diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) at 3.0 T and 1.5 T by evaluating the apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) value and visibility of breast cancer in the same patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 13 patients (16 lesions) with breast cancer underwent DWI at 3.0 T and 1.5 T. Tumors were classified into two groups based on the lesion size. The ADC values were measured, and visibility of the tumors was scored blindly.
  
  
  RESULTS
  No significant difference was found for ADC values between 3.0 T and 1.5 T in either group (P > 0.05). All of the large lesions were visible clearly at both magnetic field strengths, and image scores were not different (P > 0.05). In contrast, small lesions were more clearly visible and had better image scores at 3.0 T than at 1.5 T (P < 0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Small cancers were more clearly visible on DWI at 3.0 T than 1.5 T.
authors.affiliation: Nishitani Department of Radiology, School of Medicine, The University of Tokushima, 3-18-15 Kuramoto-cho, Tokushima 770-8509, Japan. maoi@coda.ocn.ne.jp
authors.forename: Aoi
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Matsuoka
authors.forename: Masako
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Minato
authors.forename: Masafumi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Harada
authors.forename: Hitoshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kubo
authors.forename: Yoshikatsu
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Bandou
authors.forename: Akira
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tangoku
authors.forename: Kiichirou
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nakano
authors.forename: Hiromu
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Nishitani
mesh_terms: D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D038524:Diffusion Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007090:Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted