title: Diffusion-weighted imaging of solid or predominantly solid gynaecological adnexial masses: is it useful in the differential diagnosis?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study investigated whether diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) and apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) values provide specific information that allows the diagnosis of solid or predominantly solid gynaecological adnexial lesions, especially whether they can discriminate benign and malignant lesions.
  
  
  METHODS
  DWI was performed in 37 patients with histologically proven solid or predominantly solid adnexial lesions (22 malignant and 15 benign neoplasms). The lesions in our data set were divided into two groups, all adnexial lesions or lesions of ovarian origin, for evaluation. The areas of the highest signal intensity on DWI (b = 800 s mm(-2)) and the lowest ADC values within the lesions were evaluated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  On DWI, high signal intensity was observed more often in malignant than in benign lesions (p<0.0001). There was no significant difference between the ADC values of the malignant and benign lesions in either the adnexial (0.88±0.16 vs 0.84±0.42; p = 0.96) or the ovarian (0.85±0.14 vs 1.05±0.2; p = 0.133) lesions. When signal intensities on DWI were compared, however, malignant lesions had higher values than the benign lesions in both the adnexial (0.69±0.21 vs 0.29±0.13; p<0.0001) and the ovarian lesions (0.75±0.14 vs 0.37±0.24; p = 0.003).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  On DWI, high signal intensity was observed more frequently with the malignant lesions.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Istanbul University, Istanbul Medical School, Turkey. drbarisbakir@yahoo.com
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Bakir
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bakan
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tunaci
authors.forename: V L
authors.initials: VL
authors.lastname: Bakir
authors.forename: A C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Iyibozkurt
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Berkman
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Bengisu
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Salmaslioglu
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D000291:Adnexal Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D038524:Diffusion Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards*; D005260:Female; D006106:Granulosa Cell Tumor / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D010051:Ovarian Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology / Q000556:secondary; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology; D055815:Young Adult