title: Diffusion-weighted MR imaging: role in the differential diagnosis of breast lesions.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the diagnostic value of magnetic resonance diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) using apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) values to the characterization of breast lesions and differentiation of benign and malignant lesions.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty-seven women (mean age, 38 years) with 37 enrolled in the study. DWI and ADC maps in the axial plane were obtained using a 1.5 Tesla MRI device. Mean ADC measurements were calculated among cysts, normal fibroglandular tissue, benign lesions and malignant lesions were evaluated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Out of 37 women, 4 had normally breast MRI findings. The diagnosis of remaining 33 patients with 37 breast lesions were as follows; malign lesions (n = 23), benign lesions (n = 10) and simple breast cyst (n = 4). The ADC values were as follows (in units of 10(-3) mm2/s): Normal fibroglandular tissue (range: 1.39-2.06; mean: 1.61 ± 0.23), benign breast lesions (range: 1.09-1.76; mean: 1.47 ± 0.25), cyts (range: 2.27-2.46, mean: 2.37 ± 0.07) and malignant breast lesions (range: 0.78-1.26, mean: 0.96 ± 0.25). The mean ADC obtained from malignant breast lesions was statistically different from that observed in benign solid lesions (p < < 0.01) and normal fibroglandular breast tissue (p < 0.01). Furthermore, the mean ADC values of benign breast lesions was not statistically different from cyst (p ≥ 0.01) and normal fibroglandular breast tissue (p ≥ 0.01). A ADC value of 1.1 x 10(-3) mm'/s as a treshold value provided differantiation for malign and benign lesions, with a sensitivity of 91.3% and a specificity of 85.7% compared with conventional breast MRI values.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  DWI with quantitative ADC measurements is a reliable tool for differentiation of benign and malignant breast lesions.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Dokuz Eylul University, Izmir, Turkey. cananaltay@yahoo.com
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Altay
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Balci
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Altay
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Karasu
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Saydam
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Canda
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Dicle
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001940:Breast / Q000473:pathology*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis*; D003287:Contrast Media; D003560:Cysts / Q000175:diagnosis; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D038524:Diffusion Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D019786:Gadolinium DTPA; D006801:Humans; D007089:Image Enhancement / Q000379:methods; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity
chemical_list: D003287:Contrast Media; D019786:Gadolinium DTPA