title: Diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging for the initial characterization of non-fatty soft tissue tumors: correlation between T2 signal intensity and ADC values.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the performance of quantitative diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) correlated with T2 signal in differentiating non-fatty benign from malignant tumors.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 76 patients with a histologically confirmed non-fatty soft tissue tumors (46 benign and 30 malignant) were prospectively included in this ethics committee approved study. All patients signed an informed consent and underwent MRI with DWI with two b values (0 and 600). ADC values from the solid components of these tumors were obtained and were correlated with the lesion's signal intensity on T2-weighted fat-saturated sequences. ADC values were obtained from adjacent normal muscle to allow calculation of tumor/muscle ADC ratios.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were 58 hyperintense and 18 iso or hypointense lesions. All hypointense lesions were benign. The mean ADC values for benign and malignant tumors were 1.47 ± 0.54 × 10(-3) and 1.17 ± 0.38 × 10(-3) mm(2)/s respectively (p < 0.005). The mean ADC ratio in benign iso or hypointense tumors was significantly lower than that of hyperintense ones (0.76 ± 0.21 versus 1.58 ± 0.82 - p < 0.0001). An ADC ratio lower than 0.915 was highly specific for malignancy (96.4 %), whereas an ADC ratio higher than 1.32 was highly sensitive for benign lesions (90 %).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  ADC analysis can be useful in the initial characterization of T2 hyperintense non-fatty soft tissue masses, although this technique alone is not likely to change patient management.
authors.affiliation: Service d'Imagerie Guilloz, CHU Nancy, 29 Avenue du Maréchal de Lattre de Tassigny, Nancy, 54000, France. ped_gt@hotmail.com.|Université de Lorraine, IADI, UMR S 947, Tour Drouet Rue du Morvan, 54511, Vandoeuvre-lès-Nancy, France. ped_gt@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Pedro Augusto Gondim
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Teixeira
authors.affiliation: Service d'Imagerie Guilloz, CHU Nancy, 29 Avenue du Maréchal de Lattre de Tassigny, Nancy, 54000, France.
authors.forename: Frederique
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Gay
authors.affiliation: Université de Lorraine, IADI, UMR S 947, Tour Drouet Rue du Morvan, 54511, Vandoeuvre-lès-Nancy, France.
authors.forename: Bailiang
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: University Versailles St-Quentin, 78035, Versailles, France.|Inserm, Centre for research in Epidemiology and Population Health (CESP), U1018, 94807, Villejuif, France.
authors.forename: Marie
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zins
authors.affiliation: Service de Chirurgie Traumatologique et Orthopédique, Centre Chirurgical Emile Gallé, 54000, Nancy, France.
authors.forename: François
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Sirveaux
authors.affiliation: Université de Lorraine, IADI, UMR S 947, Tour Drouet Rue du Morvan, 54511, Vandoeuvre-lès-Nancy, France.
authors.forename: Jacques
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Felblinger
authors.affiliation: Service d'Imagerie Guilloz, CHU Nancy, 29 Avenue du Maréchal de Lattre de Tassigny, Nancy, 54000, France.
authors.forename: Alain
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Blum
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D038524:Diffusion Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007090:Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D012983:Soft Tissue Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*
keywords: ADC values; Characterization; Diffusion weighted imaging; MR imaging; Soft-tissue tumors