Diffusion-Weighted Imaging-Based Differentiating between Benign and Malignant Ovarian Lesions.

Area of Science:

• Radiology
• Oncology
• Medical Imaging

Background:

• Ovarian cancer is frequently diagnosed at advanced stages.
• Diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) is an imaging biomarker for tissue characterization.
• The role of apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) maps in ovarian cancer prognosis requires further definition.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the sensitivity and efficiency of DWI (T1 and T2) and ADC maps in differentiating malignant and benign ovarian lesions.
• To evaluate the diagnostic performance of DWI and ADC values in ovarian mass characterization.

Main Methods:

• 58 patients with undetermined ovarian masses underwent MRI.
• Qualitative DWI signals and quantitative ADC values of lesions were analyzed.
• Statistical analysis included Student's t-test and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves.

Main Results:

• Malignant ovarian masses (25) showed significantly higher DWI and T1 + GAD values compared to benign masses (33) (P < 0.0001).
• A decrease in T2-weighted (T2W) and ADC values correlated with malignancy.
• A T1 cutoff value of 1 × 10⁻³ mm²/s may help discriminate between benign and malignant lesions.

Conclusions:

• DWI and ADC parameters are valuable in distinguishing benign from malignant ovarian masses.
• Combining DWI imaging with T1 + GAD values improves diagnostic specificity for ovarian lesions.
• Further research can refine the utility of these imaging biomarkers in ovarian cancer management.