ROLE OF DIFFUSION WEIGHTED MRI IN ASSESSMENT OF BENIGN AND MALIGNANT HEPATIC FOCAL LESIONS IN ADULT AGE GROUP

Abstract

Abstract Purpose of this study is: To evaluate the role of diffusion weighted magnetic resonance imaging in differentiation between malignant & benign hepatic focal lesions. Methods The study included 38 patients all of them were with hepatic focal lesions detected by ultrasound (between 20 and 85 years of age) referred from GIT and oncology departments. Each patient included in the study was subjected to full history taking, ultrasonography and conventional MRI sequences, post Gd- DTPA dynamic and Diffusion Weighted imaging as well as ADC value measurement. Technique was performed using a standard 1.5 Tesla unit (Ingenia, Philips). Detailed MRI and laboratory investigations were done. Results The study showed significant results were obtained between ADC values of benign and malignant hepatic focal lesions (p < 0.001). Conclusion We concluded in this study according to the obtained results that DWI sequence together with quantitative ADC values should be used as an essential sequence to supplement the conventional MRI sequences for proper detection and characterization of hepatic focal lesions.