Bo Jiang MD, PhD, Presenter: Nothing to Disclose

Bitao Pan, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Ximin Pan, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Meiyu Hu, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

To assess the influence of three different physiological phases on the Apparent Diffusion Coefficient of normal uterus during menstrual cycle in healthy reproductive-age women.  

Eighteen healthy reproductive-age women underwent magnetic resonance diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) at the menstrual, proliferative and secretory phases in a regular menstrual cycle. The apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) was calculated of endometrium, junction and myometrium in uterine zones with b-values of 0,500 s/mm² and 0,1000s/mm², respectively. The ADC of each uterine zone was compared among the three phases and between two sets of different b value combination as well.

In the menstrual, proliferative and secretory phases, the ADC of endometrium was 1.37±0.62, 1.64±0.54, 1.51±0.35 at b valued 0 and 500 (F=7.83, p<0.01), respectively, and 1.16±0.21, 1.42±0.16, 1.32±0.14 at b valued 0 and 1000 (F=6.58, p<0.01), respectively. The ADC of junctional zone was 0.66±0.30, 0.67±0.20, 0.71±0.23 at b valued 0 and 500 (F=0.25, p=0.78), respectively, and 0.57±0.21, 0.60±0.16, 0.63±0.21 at b valued 0 and 1000 (F=0.61, p=0.55), respectively. The ADC of myometrium was 2.07±0.64, 2.11±0.60, 2.15±0.16 at b valued 0 and 500 (F=0.26, p=0.77), respectively, and 1.61±0.21, 1.63±0.12, 1.66±0.15 at b valued 0 and 1000 (F=0.29, p=0.75), respectively. The ADC of endometrium was lower in menstrual phase than that in proliferative phase and that in secretory phase at b valued 0 and 500 (q=4.13, p<0.05; q=2.13, p>0.05, respectively ) and at b valued 0 and 1000 (q=4.09, p<0.05; q=2.52, p>0.05, respectively ). The ADC of endometrium in menstrual, proliferative and secretory phases was higher in at b valued 0 and 500 than in at b valued 0 and 1000 (t=2.05, p<0.05; t=2.73, p<0.01; t=2.11, p<0.05; respectively); and its coefficient of variation was 0.45, 0.33, 0.23 at b valued 0 and 500, respectively, and 0.18, 0.11, 0.11 at b valued 0 and 1000, respectively.

The different physiological phases in menstrual cycle exert significant effect on the ADC of endometrium but less effect on the ADC of both junctional zone and myometrium in healthy reproductive-age women.. Higher-b value DWI warrants a more stable ADC.  

The menstrual cycle could be an important consideration when interpreting the usefulness of ADC of endometrium in reproductive-age women, and an appropriate time window selection for DWI is necess

Jiang, B, Pan, B, Pan, X, Hu, M, Menstrual Cycle-specific Apparent Diffusion Coefficient of Normal Uterine Zonal Structures in Healthy Reproductive-age Women.  Radiological Society of North America 2013 Scientific Assembly and Annual Meeting, December 1 - December 6, 2013 ,Chicago IL. http://archive.rsna.org/2013/13027992.html