title: Apparent diffusion coefficient measurements with diffusion-weighted imaging for differential diagnosis of soft-tissue tumor.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the diagnostic potential of apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) values of diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) in distinguishing malignant and benign soft-tissue tumors.
  
  
  METHODS
  Published studies were retrieved through comprehensive search in various computerized databases. High-quality studies relevant to ADC values of DWI in differential diagnosis of soft-tissue tumors were screened using our stringent inclusion and exclusion criteria for this meta-analysis. The standard mean difference with 95% confidence interval (95% CI) was estimated. Statistical analyses were performed using the STATA statistical software (Stata Co., College Station, TX, USA).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Thirteen cohort studies were finally included, and these studies provided the required information on the diagnostic value of diffusion magnetic resonance imaging in soft-tissue tumors. The 13 studies contained a combined total of 344 malignant soft tumors and 315 benign soft tumors. The results of our meta-analysis revealed that mean ADC value in patients with malignant soft-tissue tumor decreased significantly in comparison with the ADC values obtained in patients with benign soft-tissue tumor (P < 0.001). Country-stratified analysis suggested that ADC value might play a predictive role in the differential diagnosis of soft-tissue tumors in China (P = 0.007), Egypt (P < 0.001), Germany (P = 0.001), Japan (P = 0.049), and The Netherlands (P < 0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results provide strong evidence that patients diagnosed with malignant soft-tissue tumors have low ADC values of DWI compared to those with benign soft-tissue tumors. Therefore, ADC measurements with DWI may be reliable in differential diagnosis of soft-tissue tumors.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Women's Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310006, P. R. China.
authors.forename: Yu
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zou
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310003, P. R. China.
authors.forename: Qi-Dong
authors.initials: QD
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital with Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 210029, P. R. China.
authors.forename: Min
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zong
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital with Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 210029, P. R. China.
authors.forename: Yue-Fen
authors.initials: YF
authors.lastname: Zou
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital with Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 210029, P. R. China.
authors.forename: Hai-Bin
authors.initials: HB
authors.lastname: Shi
mesh_terms: D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D038524:Diffusion Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D016017:Odds Ratio; D017594:Publication Bias; D012983:Soft Tissue Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis*