Diffusion-weighted MRI at 3T in Endometrial Cancer: Correlation of Apparent Diffusion Coefficient with...

Area of Science:

• Radiology
• Oncology
• Medical Imaging

Background:

• Endometrial cancer diagnosis relies on histology, but imaging can aid in subtype differentiation.
• Diffusion-weighted MRI (DW-MRI) provides insights into tissue microstructure.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine if apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) values can differentiate endometrial cancer histological subtypes.
• To assess the correlation between ADC values and histopathological parameters.

Main Methods:

• A descriptive study involving 83 endometrial cancer patients undergoing 3T DW-MRI before surgery.
• Mean and minimum ADC values were calculated and analyzed against histological subtype, grade, and invasion status.

Main Results:

• ADC values significantly differed between endometrioid and non-endometrioid carcinomas.
• High-grade (G3) endometrioid carcinomas exhibited significantly lower ADC values than low-grade (G1-G2) tumors.
• ADC values did not significantly correlate with myometrial invasion, lymphovascular invasion, or lymph node metastasis.

Conclusions:

• ADC measurements are valuable for differentiating endometrioid from non-endometrioid endometrial cancers.
• Lower ADC values in endometrioid carcinomas indicate higher histological grade, suggesting prognostic utility.