EVALUATION OF CYSTIC OVARIAN LESIONS USING APPARENT DIFFUSION-COEFFICIENT CALCULATED FROM TURBOFLASH MR-IMAGES

Serial turboFLASH (fast low-angle shot) Images with and without diffus ion-perfusion (DP gradients were used to evaluate the contents of cyst ic ovarian lesions. 19 ovarian cysts, seven serous cystadenomas, six m ucinous cystadenomas and 13 malignant cystic ovarian rumours were stud ied. T-1 and T-2 weighted spin echo images, serial turboFLASH images w ith and without DP gradients (b = 295.1 and 0 s mm(-2), respectively) were obtained. Using these images, the apparent diffusion coefficients (ADCs) were calculated within the cystic contents of these lesions. A pproximately corrected ADC (ADC') values were also calculated in order to reduce T, contamination from ADCs, using results of a phantom stud y. Ovarian cysts and serous cystadenomas showed larger ADC and ADC' va lues than the cystic contents of malignant ovarian lesions (p<0.01). M ucinous cystadenomas show no distinct. ADC difference to any other gro up of cases. However, if the highest ADC' loculus was selected as bein g representative, mucinous cystadenomas showed a larger ADC' value tha n malignant cystic neoplasms (p<0.03). In conclusion, diffusion-weight ed MRI is possibly of use in evaluating cystic contents of ovarian les ions.