title: Comparison between malignant and benign abdominal lymph nodes on diffusion-weighted imaging.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study is to review the apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) values of benign and metastatic abdominal lymph nodes on diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI).
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty-eight patients with a total of 40 benign (20 patients) and 16 malignant (8 patients) lymph nodes who underwent DWI MRI of the abdomen (b = 0.600) were enrolled in the study. ADC values of the lymph nodes were measured and comparison was made between benign and malignant groups.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Mean ADC value of lymph nodes was 2.38 +/- 0.29 and 1.84 +/- 0.37 x 10(-3) mm(2)/sec in the benign and malignant groups, respectively. There was a significant statistical difference between the ADC values of benign and malignant lymph nodes (P < .0005).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A wide range of ADC values exist in patients with metastatic abdominal lymph nodes, with a tendency of higher ADC values in benign lymph nodes.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Saint Louis University Hospital, 3635 Vista Avenue, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA.
authors.forename: E Isin
authors.initials: EI
authors.lastname: Akduman
authors.forename: Amir Javad
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Momtahen
authors.forename: N Cem
authors.initials: NC
authors.lastname: Balci
authors.forename: Namit
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Mahajann
authors.forename: Necat
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Havlioglu
authors.forename: Michael K
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Wolverson
mesh_terms: D000005:Abdomen; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D038524:Diffusion Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007090:Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000473:pathology*; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies