Contribution of diffusion weighted MR imaging in the differential diagnosis of focal hepatic lesions at 3T

Objective To evaluate the value of diffusion weighted imaging (DWI) in differential diagnosis of focal hepatic lesions.Methods a total of 68 lesions in 65 patients were evaluated, DWI with b=0, 500, 1000s/mm2 was performed on GE Signal EXCITE at 3.0T.Apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) values were measured in 13 hepatic cysts, 12 hemangiomas, 4 inflammatory pseudotumor, 5 FNH, 13 hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) , 21metastases.And the signature analysis of lesions were performed simultaneously.Results The mean ADC (×10-3mm2/s) value of cysts was 3.34±0.45, hemangiomas 2.07±0.35, inflammatory pseudotumor 1.59±0.16, FNH 1.50±0.18, HCC 1.25±0.31, metastases 1.04±0.20;hepatic cysts and hemagiomas were easily distinguished from other lesions (P<0.05) ;the signal intensity of cysts decreased obviously with the b value being large, on the contrary, the signal intensity of HCC and metastases decreased poorly.Conclusion DWI is useful for differential diagnosis of focal hepatic lesions clinically.