ABSTRACT
Objective To evaluate the value of quantized diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI)in diagnosis of focal liver lesions. Methods A retrospective analysis was performed in 120 patients with focal liver lesions and in 12 healthy controls who underwent DWI and routine non-enhanced MRI at 3.0T.In 120 patients,there were 1 79 focal liver lesions including 53 hepatocellular carcinomas (HCC),61 metastatic tumors,32 hemangiomas and 33 cysts.The DWI and apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC)maps and ADC val-ues of the lesions and the normal liver were analyzed and measured with a b value of 800 s/mm2 ,and the statistical differences be-tween two groups were compared.Results DWI showed 33 hepatic cysts with low signal,and 5 1 hepatocellular carcinomas,61 he-patic metastases and 32 hepatic hemangiomas with high signal,thus the signal difference between hepatic cyst and other lesions was significant (P 0.05).In addit-on,the ratios of the ADC values of lesion to background liver between hepatocellular carcinoma and metastases were significantly dif-ferent (P <0.05).Conclusion DWI and ADC maps,and ADC value can provide importantly additional information for the diagnosis and differential diagnosis of focal liver lesions.