Measurement of the apparent diffusion coefficient in intraductal mucin-producing tumor of the pancreas by diffusion-weighted echo-planar MR imaging

Abstract

Background: We investigated whether diffusion-weighted echo-planar magnetic resonance (MR) imaging can help differentiate intraductal mucin-producing tumors of the pancreas from other cystic lesions.

Methods: Diffusion-weighted echo-planar MR imaging was performed in patients with mucin-producing tumors (n= 19), pseudocysts (n= 9), chronic pancreatitis with diffuse main pancreatic dilatation (n= 5), and serous cystadenomas (n= 2). Images were obtained with diffusion sensitizing gradients of 30, 300, and 900 s/mm². The apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) was calculated.

Results: The mean (± standard deviation) ADCs of mucin-producing tumors (2.8 × 10⁻³ mm²/s ± 1.0 × 10⁻³), pseudocysts (2.9 × 10⁻³ mm²/s ± 1.2 × 10⁻³), dilated main pancreatic duct in chronic pancreatitis (3.3 × 10⁻³ mm²/s ± 1.2 × 10⁻³), serous cystadenomas (2.9 × 10⁻³ and 2.6 × 10⁻³ mm²/s), and cerebrospinal fluid (3.5 × 10⁻³ mm²/s ± 1.1 × 10⁻³) were not statistically different.

Conclusion: It is difficult to differentiate between mucin-producing tumors and other cystic lesions by ADC measurements when using diffusion-weighted echo-planar MR imaging.