The diagnostic value of diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging and apparent diffusion coefficient values in children with cerebral infarction

Abstract

Objective To explore the diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (DWI) and apparent dispersion coefficient (ADC) value in cerebral infarction diagnosis and judgment of cerebral infarction outcome and staging of the value. Methods According to different stages, 26 patients were divided into 3 phases, phaseⅠ (6~72 h) had 11 cases, phaseⅡ (4~10 d) had 12 cases, phase Ⅲ (10 d later) had 9 cases, of which 3 cases were reviewed, 3 cases were recurrence of cerebral infarction. Each patient′s MRI included T1 weighted imaging, T2 weighted imaging, DWI and ADC sequence scan image reconstruction, the ADC map obtained one regions of interest (ROI), and the mean ADC value of ROI were calculated, the average ADC value of the corresponding contralateral area were also calculated by the same method, and then the mean relative ADC value were calculated. Results DWI image of all cases showed high signal, 11 cases showed high signal and 1 case showed low signal in phase Ⅱ. In phase Ⅲ, 1 case showed normal signal and 1 case showed high signal, 2 cases showed mixed signal, 1 case were reduced, and the rest were all low signal. Compared with the contralateral corresponding region, the average ADC values were reduced in phase Ⅰ. The infarction average ADC values were 0.434 × 10-3mm2/s, 0.653 × 10-3mm2/s, 1.600 × 10-3mm2/s in phase Ⅰ, Ⅱ, Ⅲ respectively, and the average ADC values of contralateral corresponding region were 0.938 × 10-3mm2/s, 0.814 × 10-3mm2/s, 0.757× 10-3mm2/s respectively; the mean relative ADC values were (51.5±16.8)%, (79.2±30.0)%, (210.9±45.1)% in phase Ⅰ, Ⅱ, Ⅲ respectively (P<0.05). Conclusion ADC value of cerebral lesions area and relative ADC value of the variation in time provides an objective basis for the diagnosis of DWI, contributes to timely and accurately determine the age of cerebral lesions and pathophysiology of the changes. Key words: Cerebral infarction; Magnetic resonance imaging; Diffusion-weighted imaging; Apparent diffusion coefficient map; Apparent diffusion coefficient value; Relative apparent diffusion coefficient value; Children