Diffusion-Weighted Imaging and ADC Mapping of Head-and-Neck Paragangliomas

Abstract

Paragangliomas are rare, hypervascularized benign tumors. In some cases a clear differentiation of paragangliomas and other entities is impossible. The authors evaluated ten patients with skull base lesions (paraganglioma n = 7, meningioma n = 1, giant cell tumor n = 1, and neurinoma n = 1) in addition to conventional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) with diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI), and calculation of apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC). Mean ADC values +/- standard deviation of the paragangliomas were 1.304 +/- 0.257 x 10(-3) mm(2)/s and differed from ADC values of the other jugular fossa tumors with 0.743 +/- 0.108 x 10(-3) mm(2)/s and measurement derived from the cerebellum with 0.802 +/- 0.075 x 10(-3) mm(2)/s. Due to the difference of ADC values, the authors propose that DWI and ADC mapping could be a promising tool in the diagnostic work-up of paragangliomas.