Ying Liu, Presenter: Nothing to Disclose

Zhao Xiang Ye, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

To investigate the application value of apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) values in evaluating the histological type as well as pathologic grade of uterine cervical cancer; and to investigate whether ADC values could reflect tumor cellularity density.

Ninety-eight patients with histopathologically proven uterine cervical cancer were included in this prospective study. All of them received conventional MRI and DWI examinations before surgery or concurrent chemoradiation. Mean ADC value and minimum ADC value of the tumor were measured. Tumor cellularity density was counted using CMIAS (colored multifunction imaging analyzing system).

Both mean ADC value and minimum ADC value of squamous cell carcinoma were significantly lower than that of adenocacinoma (P=0.001; P=0.000). Using mean ADC criteria (≤0.965×10-3mm2/s) and minimum ADC criteria (≤0.844××10-3mm2/s), the sensitivity and specificity for differentiating squamous cell carcinoma from adenocarcinoma were 83.5% and 76.9%, 77.6% and 92.3%, respectively. The Az of mean ADC was not statistically greater than minimum ADC (P=0.990). Tumor cellularity density, mean ADC value and minimum ADC value of different pathological grade varied significantly (P=0.000, P=0.000, P=0.000). There was a significant positive linear correlation between tumor cellularity density and the pathological grade of tumor (P=0.000). Both mean ADC value and minimum ADC value correlated negatively with cellularity density (P=0.000, P=0.000) and the pathological grade of tumor (P=0.000, P=0.000). Comparisons of correlation coefficients showed no significant differences (P=0.656, P=0.631).

DWI has a potential ability to indicate the histologic type of uterine cervical cancer. ADC measurements of uterine cervical cancer can represent tumor cellularity density, thus providing a new method for evaluating the pathological grade of tumor. Mean ADC value instead of minimum ADC value was recommended to fully reflect the whole tumor.

DWI with ADC measurement may be helpful for the noninvasive and preoperative prediction of the histologic type and degree of differentiation of uterine cervical cancer.  

Liu, Y, Ye, Z, Clinical Application of Diffusion-weighted MR Imaging in Uterine Cervical Cancer.  Radiological Society of North America 2013 Scientific Assembly and Annual Meeting, December 1 - December 6, 2013 ,Chicago IL. http://archive.rsna.org/2013/13015459.html