The role of diffusion-weighted MR imaging and ADC values in the diagnosis of gastric tumors.

BACKGROUND The aim of this study was to investigate the role of diffusion-weighted MR imaging (DWI) in the diagnosis of gastric tumors by means of measuring the apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) values of these lesions, and making a comparison with the endoscopic biopsy results. SUBJECTS AND METHODS Seventy patients having gastric tumor constituted the case group. For the control group 30 healthy individuals were included. Abdominal MRI examinations were performed with a 1,5 Tesla unit. DWI examinations were obtained by single shot spin echoplanar imaging. The ADC was measured based on the tissue of the gastric tumoral entities and normal gastric mucosa in the control group. RESULTS Mean ADC values were 0,84 +/- 0,17 x 10(-3) mm2/s and 1,79 +/- 0,08 x 10 mm2/s in gastric tumor group and in control group, respectively, being statistically significant (p<0.05).There was no significance among ADC values of adenocarcinoma subgroups. The comparison of the ADC values in the adenocarcinoma and lymphoma cases were also found to be statistically significant. CONCLUSIONS DWI is beneficial in the diagnosis of malignant gastric lesions by the aid of ADC measurements. Although ADC quantification seems to be invaluable in the evaluation of histopathologic subgroups of adenocarcinoma, it can help in the diagnosis of gastric lymphoma.