title: Diffusion-weighted imaging of the healthy pancreas: ADC values are age and gender dependent.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the healthy pancreas with diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) for characterization of age and gender-related differences in apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) values.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sixty six volunteers were prospectively enrolled (33 male, 33 female; range 1.4 to 83.7 years of age) and echo-planar DWI of the pancreas was performed. ADC values were measured in the pancreas head, body, and tail using a pixel-by-pixel approach. Effects of age and gender on ADC values were analyzed using a two-factorial multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA).
  
  
  RESULTS
  ADC values correlated inversely with the age of the volunteers. The mean global pancreatic ADC values (× 10(-3) mm(2)/s) in the age groups 0-20 years, 21-40 years, and > 40 years were 1.18 ± 0.19, 1.07 ± 0.13, and 0.99 ± 0.18, respectively. Female individuals had higher mean global ADC values than male (1.13 ± 0.14 versus 1.02 ± 0.18 × 10(-3) mm(2)/s). MANOVA showed significant effects of age (P value 0.022, eta(2) = 0.13) and gender (P value 0.001, eta(2) = 0.28) on ADC values.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Pancreatic ADC values decline with ageing and show significant gender differences with higher mean values in females. The awareness of baseline values adjusted to age and gender will be important for correct interpretation of individual cases and design of future studies.
authors.affiliation: Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany. j.herrmann@uke.de
authors.forename: Jochen
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Herrmann
authors.forename: Bjoern P
authors.initials: BP
authors.lastname: Schoennagel
authors.forename: Magdalena
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Roesch
authors.forename: Jasmin D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Busch
authors.forename: Thorsten
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Derlin
authors.forename: Laura K
authors.initials: LK
authors.lastname: Doh
authors.forename: Kay U
authors.initials: KU
authors.lastname: Petersen
authors.forename: Joachim
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Graessner
authors.forename: Gerhard
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Adam
authors.forename: Christian R
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Habermann
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D038524:Diffusion Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007089:Image Enhancement / Q000379:methods*; D007090:Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods*; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010179:Pancreas / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012016:Reference Values; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D012737:Sex Factors; D055815:Young Adult