title: Diffusion-weighted MRI of pulmonary lesions: Comparison of apparent diffusion coefficient and lesion-to-spinal cord signal intensity ratio in lesion characterization.
abstract: To evaluate the diagnostic performance of minimum apparent diffusion coefficient (ADCmin) and lesion-to-spinal cord signal intensity ratio (LSR) in the differentiation of benign and malignant pulmonary lesions.
  
  
  
  Forty-seven patients (36 men, 11 women; range, 17-81 years) with 62 pulmonary lesions underwent magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) performed using a 1.5T scanner during free-breathing using b 600 s/mm2. The ADCminvalues and LSR were calculated. A receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was performed to detect the threshold value of the ADCminand LSR values for discrimination between benign and malignant pulmonary lesions.
  
  
  
  There were 42 malignant (33 primary tumors, 9 metastases) and 20 benign lesions. The mean ADCmin± standard deviations (×10-3mm2/s) were 1.45 ± 0.33 for malignant tumors, and 2.4 ± 0.69 for benign lesions (P < 0.001). The mean LSR ± standard deviations for lung cancer was 1.24 ± 0.78, and for benign lesions was 0.55 ± 0.57 (P < 0.001). The area under the ROC curve for ADCmin(0.931; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.868-0.993) was greater than that for LSR (0.801; 95% CI: 0.675-0.926) (P = 0.029). For benign/malignant discrimination, the ROC curve showed threshold value of ADCminto be 1.78 × 10-3mm2/s and that of LSR to be 0.86. Using these cutoff values, accuracy of ADCminand LSR were 89%, 74%, respectively (P = 0.383).
  
  
  
  Being a contrast-free and radiation-free technique, DWI allows discrimination of benign and malignant lung lesions. The ADCminvalue performed marginally better than LSR values in distinction of benign and malignant lesions.
  
  
  
  1 J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2017;45:845-854.
authors: Department of Diagnostic Radiology, University of Pamukkale, Turkey.
authors: Vefa
authors: V
authors: Çakmak
authors: Department of Diagnostic Radiology, University of Pamukkale, Turkey.
authors: Furkan
authors: F
authors: Ufuk
authors: Department of Diagnostic Radiology, University of Pamukkale, Turkey.
authors: Nevzat
authors: N
authors: Karabulut
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D038524:Diffusion Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007089:Image Enhancement / Q000379:methods; D007090:Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods*; D008168:Lung / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008954:Models, Biological; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: MRI; apparent diffusion coefficient; diffusion-weighted imaging; pulmonary lesions