title: Correlation of apparent diffusion coefficient value with prognostic parameters of lung cancer.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study was to correlate the apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) value with prognostic parameters of lung cancer.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty-one patients diagnosed with lung cancer (22 men, 9 women; mean age, 57 years) underwent diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging of the chest using echo-planar imaging sequence with b factors of 0, 300, and 600 s/mm. Apparent diffusion coefficient values were calculated and correlated with tumor grade and size as well as associated mediastinal lymph nodes. Institutional review board approval was obtained for this prospective study.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean ADC value of small cell lung cancer (1.02 ± 0.30 × 10 mm/s) was significantly different (P = 0.025) from non-small cell lung cancer (1.39 ± 0.47 × 10 mm/s). There was a significant difference in the ADC value between poorly and well-differentiated to moderately differentiated lung cancer (P = 0.03) as well as between patients with N0 and N3 mediastinal lymphadenopathy (P = 0.043). The ADC value of lung cancer correlated with tumor grade (r = -0.481, P = 0.043) and metastatic mediastinal nodes (r = -0.422, P = 0.018).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Apparent diffusion coefficient value of the lung cancer can be considered as a new prognostic parameter. Lower ADC value of the lung cancer is associated with higher pathological tumor grade and metastatic lymph nodes.
authors.affiliation: Department of Diagnostic Radiology, Mansoura Faculty of Medicine, Mansoura, Egypt. arazek@mans.eun.eg
authors.forename: Ahmed Abdel Khalek Abdel
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Razek
authors.forename: Amal
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Fathy
authors.forename: Taha Abdel
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Gawad
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002277:Carcinoma / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000556:secondary*; D038524:Diffusion Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000556:secondary*; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013223:Statistics as Topic