Application of diffusion weighted echo-planar MR imaging in head and neck lesions / 中华放射学杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective to investigate the value of diffusion-weighted echo-planar MR imaging in the diagnosis of head and neck lesions.Methods Fifty-seven patients with 85 head and neck lesions were enrolled in the study,including 22 patients with 22 malignant tumors,13 patients with 13 benign tumors, 13 patients with 17 cystic and liquefactive lesions(including 8 patients with 12 cystic lesions,4 patients with 4 tumor necrosis,1 patients with 1 abcess)and 33 lymph nodes.The lesions were all confirmed by operation and clinical follow up.Echo-planar difffusion-weighted imaging (DWI)was performed with different b values (0,500,and 1,000s?mm~(-2)),and the apparent diffusion coefficients (ADCs)were measured.Results Malignant and benign tumors had different characteristics in DWI with different b values.With the increase of b value,the signal intensity of tumor/spinal cord ratio decreased quickly in DWI in benign tumors,while the signal intensity of tumor/spinal cord ratio remained similar in DWI in malignant tumors.The mean ADC value of'malignant tumors[(0.78?0.24)?10~(-3)mm~2? s~(-1)] was significantly lower than that of benign tumors [(1.48?+0.20)?10~(-3)mm~2?s~(-1)] (t = 8.9,P