High b-value diffusion-weighted MRI for detecting gallbladder carcinoma: preliminary study and results

• Published in: European radiology Vol. 19; no. 7; pp. 1794 - 1798
• Main Authors: Sugita, Reiji, Yamazaki, Tetsuro, Furuta, Akemi, Itoh, Kei, Fujita, Naotaka, Takahashi, Shoki
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Berlin/Heidelberg Springer-Verlag 01.07.2009; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Cancer; Diagnostic Radiology; Diffusion Magnetic Resonance Imaging - methods; Female; Gallbladder; Gallbladder diseases; Gallbladder Neoplasms - diagnosis; Humans; Image Enhancement - methods; Imaging; Internal Medicine; Interventional Radiology; Magnetic Resonance; Male; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Middle Aged; Neuroradiology; Pilot Projects; Radiology; Reproducibility of Results; Sensitivity and Specificity; Ultrasound; Work stations; Japan; Diffusion; MRI; Gallbladder carcinoma
• ISSN: 0938-7994; 1432-1084; 1432-1084
• DOI: 10.1007/s00330-009-1322-9

The aim of this preliminary study was to retrospectively evaluate the usefulness of high b-value diffusion-weighted MR imaging (DWI) in the detection of gallbladder carcinoma. Fifteen patients with gallbladder carcinoma and 14 other patients were included in this study. All patients and subjects underwent DWI, and images were evaluated by two radiologists. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC), apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) measurement, sensitivity and specificity were calculated. An AUC yielded 0.980 (95% CI, 0.850–0.999) and 0.941 (95% CI, 0.791–0.990) for the two radiologists. The mean sensitivity and specificity were 83.3% and 100%, respectively. The mean ADC value of gallbladder carcinoma was (1.28 ± 0.41)×10 −3  mm 2 /s and that of control gallbladder lesions was (1.92 ± 0.21)×10 −3  mm 2 /s (P < 0.01). According to the results of our preliminary study, high b-value DWI might be a useful tool for detecting gallbladder carcinoma by measuring the ADC value and direct visual assessment.