Whole‐tumor apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) histogram analysis to differentiate benign peripheral neurogenic tumors from soft tissue sarcomas

• Published in: Journal of magnetic resonance imaging Vol. 48; no. 3; pp. 680 - 686
• Main Authors: Nakajo, Masanori, Fukukura, Yoshihiko, Hakamada, Hiroto, Yoneyama, Tomohide, Kamimura, Kiyohisa, Nagano, Satoshi, Nakajo, Masayuki, Yoshiura, Takashi
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Wiley Subscription Services, Inc 01.09.2018
• Subjects: apparent diffusion coefficient; Benign; benign peripheral neurogenic tumors; Coefficient of variation; Diffusion; Diffusion coefficient; diffusion‐weighted imaging; Entropy; Field strength; histogram analysis; Histograms; Kurtosis; Magnetic resonance imaging; Mathematical analysis; Parameters; Sarcoma; soft tissue sarcomas; Statistical analysis; Statistical tests; Tumors; apparent diffusion coefficient; soft tissue sarcomas; magnetic resonance imaging; histogram analysis; diffusion-weighted imaging; benign peripheral neurogenic tumors
• ISSN: 1053-1807; 1522-2586; 1522-2586
• DOI: 10.1002/jmri.25987

Background Apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) histogram analyses have been used to differentiate tumor grades and predict therapeutic responses in various anatomic sites with moderate success. Purpose To determine the ability of diffusion‐weighted imaging (DWI) with a whole‐tumor ADC histogram analysis to differentiate benign peripheral neurogenic tumors (BPNTs) from soft tissue sarcomas (STSs). Study Type Retrospective study, single institution. Subjects In all, 25 BPNTs and 31 STSs. Field Strength/Sequence Two‐b value DWI (b‐values = 0, 1000s/mm2) was at 3.0T. Assessment The histogram parameters of whole‐tumor for ADC were calculated by two radiologists and compared between BPNTs and STSs. Statistical Tests Nonparametric tests were performed for comparisons between BPNTs and STSs. P < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. The ability of each parameter to differentiate STSs from BPNTs was evaluated using area under the curve (AUC) values derived from a receiver operating characteristic curve analysis. Results The mean ADC and all percentile parameters were significantly lower in STSs than in BPNTs (P < 0.001–0.009), with AUCs of 0.703–0.773. However, the coefficient of variation (P = 0.020 and AUC = 0.682) and skewness (P = 0.012 and AUC = 0.697) were significantly higher in STSs than in BPNTs. Kurtosis (P = 0.295) and entropy (P = 0.604) did not differ significantly between BPNTs and STSs. Data Conclusion Whole‐tumor ADC histogram parameters except kurtosis and entropy differed significantly between BPNTs and STSs. Level of Evidence: 3 Technical Efficacy: Stage 2 J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2018;48:680–686.