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Diffusion-weighted MR imaging of mediastinal lymphadenopathy in children

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Abstract

Purpose

To assess mediastinal lymphadenopathy in children with diffusion-weighted MR imaging.

Materials and methods

Retrospective analysis of 29 consecutive children (18 boys and 11 girls aged 2–15 years) with mediastinal lymphadenopathy. They underwent single-shot echo planar diffusion-weighted MR imaging of the mediastinum with b factors of 0, 300, and 600 s/mm2. The ADC value of the mediastinal lymph nodes was calculated and correlated with biopsy results; statistical analysis was also performed.

Results

The mean ADC value for malignant mediastinal lymphadenopathy (n = 20) (0.99 ± 0.18 × 10−3 mm2/s) was significantly lower (P = 0.001) than that for benign lymphadenopathy (n = 9) (1.35 ± 0.26 × 10−3 mm2/s). There was significant difference between ADC values for non-Hodgkin lymphoma and metastatic nodes (P = 0.04). For differentiating malignant from benign mediastinal lymphadenopathy, the best result was obtained when an ADC value of 1.22 × 10−3 mm2/s was used as a threshold value; area under the curve was 0.861, accuracy 93.1 %, sensitivity 100 %, specificity of 77.8 %, positive predictive value 90.9 %, and negative predictive value of 100 %.

Conclusion

Diffusion-weighted MR imaging is a promising non-invasive imaging modality that can be used for differentiation of malignant from benign mediastinal lymphadenopathy in children.

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Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Diagnostic Radiology, Mansoura Faculty of Medicine, Mansoura, DK, 13351, Egypt

    Ahmed Abdel Khalek Abdel Razek, Ghada Gaballa & Sahar Elkhamary

  2. Department of Pediatric Oncology, Mansoura University Oncology Center, Mansoura, Egypt

    Rasha Elashry

Authors
  1. Ahmed Abdel Khalek Abdel Razek
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  2. Ghada Gaballa
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  3. Rasha Elashry
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  4. Sahar Elkhamary
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Ahmed Abdel Khalek Abdel Razek.

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Razek, A.A.K.A., Gaballa, G., Elashry, R. et al. Diffusion-weighted MR imaging of mediastinal lymphadenopathy in children. Jpn J Radiol 33, 449–454 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11604-015-0434-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11604-015-0434-1

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