title: Diffusion-weighted MR imaging in assessing cervical tumour response to nonsurgical therapy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study was undertaken to assess whether there is a correlation between the response of cervical tumours to nonsurgical therapy (chemo- and/or radiotherapy) and apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) values.
  
  
  METHODS
  Seventeen consecutive patients prospectively underwent pelvic magnetic resonance (MR) imaging including diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) sequences before and after nonsurgical therapy for cervical cancer. A control group of 17 patients without cervical pathology was matched to the study group. Differences in baseline ADC maps between the two groups and within the study group before and after therapy were assessed by nonparametric tests.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The diameter and volume of cervical cancers decreased after therapy in 14/17 lesions (responders) and increased in 3/17 lesions (nonresponders). The ADC values of responders increased significantly (p=0.0009). Percent changes in ADC values before and after therapy were higher in responders than nonresponders (p=0.04). There was no significant difference in ADC values between responders and nonresponders at the staging MR examination (p=0.09) and no significant correlation between pretreatment ADC values and percentage of tumour reduction. Tumours with higher percent ADC value increase showed higher tumour reduction volume, but this was not significant (p=0.12).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  ADC values of cervical cancer after therapy showed significant differences compared with pretherapy values, particularly for responders.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, European Institute of Oncology, Via Ripamonti 435, 20141, Milan, Italy. stefania.rizzo@ieo.it
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Rizzo
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Summers
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Raimondi
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Belmonte
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Maniglio
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Landoni
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Colombo
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bellomi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003287:Contrast Media; D038524:Diffusion Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D019786:Gadolinium DTPA; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology* / Q000628:therapy*
chemical_list: D003287:Contrast Media; D019786:Gadolinium DTPA