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. 2025 May 31:14:50.
doi: 10.4103/abr.abr_138_24. eCollection 2025.

Diffusion-Weighted Imaging-Based Differentiating between Benign and Malignant Ovarian Lesions

Ali Reza Eftekhari Moghadam  1 , Milad Jalilian  2 , Forouzan Absalan  3   4 , Farhad Heidari  3
Affiliations

Diffusion-Weighted Imaging-Based Differentiating between Benign and Malignant Ovarian Lesions

Ali Reza Eftekhari Moghadam et al. Adv Biomed Res. .

Abstract

Background: Ovarian cancer is a common female malignancy frequently identified at advanced stages. Diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) provides valuable information on structural traits of tissue and is used as an imaging biomarker in OST cancer prognosis. Post-processing of three-dimensional apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) maps has proven useful in evaluating variable tumors, although its position in ovarian cancer prognosis is until now not well defined. Consequently, our foremost objective was to assess the sensitivity and efficiency of DWI (T1 and T2) and ADC maps in malignant and benign ovarian lesions prognosis.

Matherials and methods: A total of 58 patients with undetermined ovarian masses in ultrasound were referred to MRI for more accurate diagnosis. The signals of DWI (qualitative) and ADC values (quantitative DWI) of the lesion components were analyzed separately. Student's t-test and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were used to determine the ability of DWI and ADC in the discrimination between malignant and benign ovarian masses.

Results: Of the 58 masses, 33 have been benign, and 25 have been malignant. There was a decrease correlation between signal thing on T2W and ADC values in malignant as compared to benign masses. The DWI and T1 + GAD values in malignant tumors have been substantially higher than the ones in benign masses (P value < 0.0001). Additionally, our consequences suggest that a T1 cutoff value (1 × 10⁻≥ mm²/s) would possibly the quality factor to help discriminate between benign and malignant lesions.

Conclusions: The mixture of DWI imaging with T1 + GAD values can beautify the diagnostic overall performance in discrimination among benign and malignant ovarian masses by increasing specificity.

Keywords: Diagnostic imaging; diffusion magnetic resonance imaging; ovarian cancer.

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Conflict of interest statement

All authors certify that this manuscript has neither been published in whole nor in part nor is it being considered for publication elsewhere. The authors have no conflict of interest to declare.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
ROC curve regarding the diagnostic power of T2-WSI in distinguishing benign from the malignant mass
Figure 2
Figure 2
ROC curve regarding the diagnostic power of ADC in distinguishing benign from malignant masses
Figure 3
Figure 3
ROC curve regarding the diagnostic power of DWI in distinguishing malignant from benign masses
Figure 4
Figure 4
ROC curve regarding the diagnostic power of T1 + GAD in distinguishing malignant from benign masses
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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