BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVE: Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a feasible method to detect, diagnose and stage cervical cancer. This study was to analyze the diffusion weighted imaging (DWI) features of normal uterine cervix and cervical carcinoma, and assess the values of DWI in diagnosis and monitor of cervical carcinoma after radiotherapy. METHODS: Routine MRI sequence and axial diffusion weighted sequence (b=800 s/mm2) were performed in 20 patients with cervical carcinoma and in 16 healthy women as control. The apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) values of normal uterine cervix and cervical carcinoma were compared. The ADC values of 7 cervical carcinoma patients before and after radiotherapy were compared. RESULTS: Normal uterine cervix presented 3 layers in DWI. The ADC value was significantly higher in normal uterine cervix than in cervical carcinoma [(1.71+/-0.14) x 10-3 mm2/s vs. (0.97+/-0.13) x 10(-3) mm2/s, P<0.01]. The ADC value of cervical carcinoma after radiotherapy was higher than that before radiotherapy [(1.49+/-1.40) x 10(-3) mm2/s vs. (1.02+/-0.06) x 10(-3) mm2/s], but was still lower than that of normal uterine cervix. CONCLUSION: DWI could be used to distinguish cervical carcinoma from normal uterine cervix, evaluate the extension of cervical carcinoma before therapy, and monitor the treatment response of cervical carcinoma after radiotherapy.
BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVE: Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a feasible method to detect, diagnose and stage cervical cancer. This study was to analyze the diffusion weighted imaging (DWI) features of normal uterine cervix and cervical carcinoma, and assess the values of DWI in diagnosis and monitor of cervical carcinoma after radiotherapy. METHODS: Routine MRI sequence and axial diffusion weighted sequence (b=800 s/mm2) were performed in 20 patients with cervical carcinoma and in 16 healthy women as control. The apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) values of normal uterine cervix and cervical carcinoma were compared. The ADC values of 7 cervical carcinomapatients before and after radiotherapy were compared. RESULTS: Normal uterine cervix presented 3 layers in DWI. The ADC value was significantly higher in normal uterine cervix than in cervical carcinoma [(1.71+/-0.14) x 10-3 mm2/s vs. (0.97+/-0.13) x 10(-3) mm2/s, P<0.01]. The ADC value of cervical carcinoma after radiotherapy was higher than that before radiotherapy [(1.49+/-1.40) x 10(-3) mm2/s vs. (1.02+/-0.06) x 10(-3) mm2/s], but was still lower than that of normal uterine cervix. CONCLUSION: DWI could be used to distinguish cervical carcinoma from normal uterine cervix, evaluate the extension of cervical carcinoma before therapy, and monitor the treatment response of cervical carcinoma after radiotherapy.