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Usefulness of diffusion-weighted imaging of breast tumors: quantitative and visual assessment

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Japanese Journal of Radiology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Purpose

We evaluated the usefulness of quantitative and visual assessment of diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) of breast tumors to distinguish malignant from benign tumors.

Materials and methods

The DWI findings of 106 breast lesions (15 benign, 91 malignant) were retrospectively analyzed. The mean apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) value for each lesion was calculated using b values of 250, 500, 750, and 1000 s/mm2 as a quantitative assessment. We visually evaluated the signal intensity of each breast lesion on the basis of a spinal signal intensity in DWI (b = 1000 s/mm2) and compared the mean ADC values using a threshold mean ADC +1.65 × standard deviation (SD) for malignant and benign breast lesions. Obviously strong signal intensity of the lesion relative to that of the spinal cord on DWI signifies malignancy.

Results

The mean ADC value for benign lesions (1.50 ± 0.38 × 10−3 mm2/s) was significantly higher than that for malignant lesions (0.98 ± 0.19 × 10−3 mm2/s), with 94.5% sensitivity, 80% specificity, and 92.5% accuracy. Sensitivity for visual assessment was 91.5%, specificity was 33.3%, and total accuracy was 82.5%.

Conclusion

ADC values, but not visual assessment, may be useful for differentiating benign and malignant breast tumors.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Radiology, Saitama Medical University International Medical Center, 1397-1 Yamane, Hidaka, 350-1298, Japan

    Kaiji Inoue, Waka Mizukoshi & Fumiko Kimura

  2. Department of Radiology, Saitama Medical University Hospital, Saitama, Japan

    Eito Kozawa & Junji Tanaka

  3. Department of Breast Surgery, Saitama Medical University International Medical Center, Hidaka, Japan

    Toshiaki Saeki

  4. Department of Pathology, Saitama Medical University International Medical Center, Hidaka, Japan

    Takaki Sakurai

Authors
  1. Kaiji Inoue
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  2. Eito Kozawa
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  3. Waka Mizukoshi
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  4. Junji Tanaka
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  5. Toshiaki Saeki
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  7. Fumiko Kimura
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Correspondence to Kaiji Inoue.

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Inoue, K., Kozawa, E., Mizukoshi, W. et al. Usefulness of diffusion-weighted imaging of breast tumors: quantitative and visual assessment. Jpn J Radiol 29, 429–436 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11604-011-0575-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11604-011-0575-9

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