Diffusion-Weighted MR Imaging of the Benign Hepatic Focal Lesions

Adel El-Badrawy, Germeen Albair Ashmallah, Ahmed Mohamed Tawfik, Sherif Abdelfattah, Manal Salah-Eldin, Emad Eldin Azmy, Amro Awad El-Karef, Ghada A. Salem, Omar Farouk

Clinical Hematology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Mansoura University, Mansoura, Egypt.
Department of Surgical Oncology, Faculty of Medicine, Mansoura University, Mansoura, Egypt.
Medical Oncology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Mansoura University, Mansoura, Egypt.
Pathology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Mansoura University, Mansoura, Egypt.
Radiology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Mansoura University, Mansoura, Egypt.
Tropical Medicine Department, Faculty of Medicine, Zagazig University, Egypt.

DOI: 10.4236/ojrad.2014.41018                

Abstract

Purpose: To determine the role of diffusion weighted MR imaging and apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) in benign hepatic focal lesions. Method and Materials: This study included 47 patients (29 M, 18 F with mean age of 43 years) with benign hepatic focal lesions. They were cyst (n = 8), hemangioma (n = 23), abscess (n = 5), adenoma (n = 5), focal nodular hyperplasia (n = 4) and nodular regenerative hyperplasia (n = 2). They underwent routine MR imaging and diffusion MR weighted imaging using 1.5 tesla MR unit (Symphony-Siemens). Diffusion MR imaging was done using spin echo type of single shot echo planar imaging (EPI) with b value of 0, 500 & 1000 sec/mm2. The apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) map was reconstructed and ADC value was measured. The mean ADC values correlated with histo-pathological results as well as follow-up imaging results. Results: Adequate ADC maps were obtained in 47 patients. The mean ADC values were 3.4 ± 0.12 × 10^-3 mm²/sec in cystic lesion, 2.23 ± 0.08 × 10^-3 mm²/sec in hemangioma, 1.94 ± 0.05 × 10^-3 mm²/sec in abscess, 1.72 ± 0.07 × 10^-3 in focal nodular hyperplasia, 1.65 ± 0.06 × 10^-3 mm²/sec in adenoma, 1.62 ± 0.07 × 10^-3 mm²/sec in nodular regenerative hyperplasia. The mean ADC values were significantly different within benign hepatic focal lesions (P < 0.001). The differences between the mean ADC values of FNH, adenoma and NRH were not statistically significant (P < 0.23). Conclusion: Diffusion weighted MR imaging is a new imaging modality for diagnosis and characterization of different benign hepatic focal lesions, particularly in patient with renal dysfunction.

Keywords

Diffusion; MR Imaging; Apparent Diffusion Coefficient; Benign Hepatic Focal Lesion

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

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