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Apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) value to evaluate BI-RADS 4 breast lesions: correlation with pathological
Clinical Imaging
|December 3, 2014
Summary
Diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) and apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) mapping can effectively differentiate benign from malignant breast lesions. Lower ADC values strongly indicate malignancy in BI-RADS category 4 lesions.
Area of Science:
- Radiology
- Medical Imaging
- Oncology
Background:
- Breast lesions categorized as BI-RADS 4 require further investigation due to indeterminate malignancy risk.
- Diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) offers insights into tissue microstructure, potentially aiding lesion characterization.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the diagnostic performance of apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) values in differentiating benign from malignant BI-RADS category 4 breast lesions.
Main Methods:
- Prospective study of 36 BI-RADS category 4 breast lesions.
- Acquisition of diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) and calculation of apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) values.
- Correlation of ADC values with histopathological results (21 benign, 15 malignant).
Main Results:
- Malignant lesions exhibited significantly lower ADC values (0.87 ± 0.12 × 10(-3) mm(2)/s) compared to benign lesions (1.41 ± 0.22 × 10(-3) mm(2)/s) (P<.001).
- A threshold ADC value of 1.08 × 10(-3) mm(2)/s achieved 95% sensitivity and 100% specificity for malignancy detection.
Conclusions:
- Apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) mapping is a valuable tool for discriminating between benign and malignant BI-RADS 4 breast lesions.
- Low ADC values are highly indicative of malignancy in this patient cohort.
