Study of apparent diffusion coefficient value in breasts of different ages and different menstrual phases

Abstract

Objective To analyze the differences of ADC values in breasts of women of different ages and different menstrual phases, so as to direct the choice of the examination time of MR DWI. MethodsThe breasts of 65 healthy volunteers were scanned with the routine MRI plain scan and DWI in the menstrual, proliferative and secretary phases. DWI was conducted with single shot echo planar imaging technique and b value were 0, 1000 s/mm2. The women were divided into three groups: Group 1(aged 20 to 29 years, 21 cases), Group 2 (aged 30 to 39, 21cases), and Group 3 (aged 40 to 49, 23 cases). The ADC values of all 130 breasts at nipple level in the different phases were measured. The ADC values in the three age groups and in the different menstrual phases were compared using ANOVA. Results The mean ADC values of Group 1 were (2.14±0.14) ×10-3, (2.03±0.18) ×10-3and (2.10±0.19)×10-3mm2/s for left breast, and (2.08±0.17) ×10-3, (2.02±0.16) ×10-3and (2.09±0.17) ×10-3mm2/s for right breast in the menstrual, proliferative and secretary phases. They were slightly higher than Group 3, which were (2.02±0.27) ×10-3, (1.97±0.25) ×10-3and (2.03±0.22)×10-3 mm2/s for left breast and (1.99±0.29) ×10-3, (1.93±0.26) ×10-3and (2.03±0.28)×10-3 mm2/s for right breast. The mean ADC values of Group 2 [left breast: (1.94±0.25) ×10-3, (1.91±0.21) ×10-3and (1.97±0.21)×10-3 mm2/s ; right breast: (1.97±0.26)×10-3, (1.89±0.25)×10-3and (1.96±0.22)×10-3 mm2/s) were the lowest among the three age groups. There were significant differences in different menstrual phases (F= 23.600, P＜0.01), but no statistical difference was found among the three age groups or between left breasts and right breasts (F= 1.683, 2.248;P＞0.05).Conclusions The mean ADC values of breasts decrease markedly in the proliferative phase.The effects of the menstrual cycle on the breast ADC values should be considered in the evaluation of breast diseases with DWI. Key words: Breast; Diffusion magnetic resonance imaging; Menstrual cycle