Application of large field diffusion-weighted imaging in the detection of bone metastases of malignant tumors: comparison with bone scintigraphy / 中国医学影像技术

ABSTRACT

Objective To evaluate large field diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) in detection of bone metastases of malignant tumors. Methods Eighteen patients with various malignant tumors were enrolled in this study. All the patients underwent large field DWI and 99mTc-MDP bone scintigraphy within one month. Results Fifteen of 18 patients were diagnosed as bone metastases with conventional MRI; 7 of them were found more than 10 bone metastases, and 23 bone metastases were confirmed in the other 8 patients. When seven patients with multiple bone metastases (>10) were excluded, and lesions in the residual 11 patients with or without bone metastases were counted, the diagnostic sensitivity of bone metastases with large field DWI and bone scintigraphy was both 100%, and specificity were 100% and 33.33%, respectively. ROC study showed the area under curve (AUC) of large field DWI and bone scintigraphy were 1.00 and 0.67, respectively (P=0.04). With lesion numbers as study unit, the diagnostic sensitivity of large field DWI and bone scintigraphy were 86.96% and 78.26%, and the specificity was both 60.00%. ROC study showed the AUC of large field DWI and bone scintigraphy was 0.74, 0.69, respectively; and no statistical difference was found. Conclusion Large field DWI can be used in screening the bone metastases of malignant tumors.