Role of Diffusion Weighted Magnetic Resonance Imaging at 3-T in Staging of Endometrial Cancer and Correlation to Histopathology

Aim: To investigate the value of diffusion weighted imaging (DWI) at 3-T MR in staging of endometrial cancer and the correlation to histopathology.

Study Design: A retrospective study.

Place and Duration of Study: CT-MR Division, Qianfoshan Hospital Affiliated to Shandong University. Department of Radiology, Affiliated Hospital of Jining Medical College. From June 2013 to June 2014

Methodology: 30 patients with histologically proved endometrial cancers were analyzed retrospectively. The staging diagnosis of DWI was compared with pathologic results. The ADC values in different histologic types and different differentiated of endometrial cancers were also compared. P<0.05 was considered statistically significant.

Results: The staging accuracy of DWI was 83.3%. The ADC value in 30 patients of endometrial cancer was (0.856±0.080) ×10-3 mm2/s. There was no statistically significant difference in different histologic types (t=1.093，P=0.284). In different differentiated endometrial cancers, there was significant difference (F=97.246，P=0.000).

Conclusion: DWI has considerable value in staging of endometrial cancer. The ADC values can demonstrate the grade malignancy of tumors initially. So diffusion weighted sequences can be included in routine MR protocols for tumor assessment.