APPLICATION OF MRI- MRI-DIFFUSION-WEIGHTED IMAGING ANDADC VALUES IN ONCOLOGY

DWI, or diffusion-weighted imaging, uses water protons to deliver microscopic information that conventional MRI cannot. DWI quantifies the extracellular, intracellular, and transcellular Brownian motions of water molecules^.(1). Quantitative and qualitative measure of DWI that represents the diffusion movements of water molecules in different tissues is the apparent diffusion coefficient, or ADC. ADC is a quantitative measure derived from DWI that integrates the effects of water diffusion and capillary perfusion(²⁾. Compared to benign lesions, malignant tumours typically exhibited diffusion restriction, which is reflected in bright images with high signal intensity and lower ADC values, which are reflected in images with low signal intensity. Therefore, the ADC value aids in distinguishing between benign and malignant tumours. Typically, benign lesions have high ADC values and malignant lesions have low ADC values.These days, diffusion-weighted imaging is used much more often in oncology. DWI has several benefits, including being non-invasive and not requiring a contrast agent. It is a rapid method that yields both qualitative and quantitative data regarding the type of tumour in a matter of minutes. Both the prognosis and the response to treatment can be evaluated. It is possible to distinguish between lesions that recur or persistent fibrosis following chemotherapy or radiation therapy. Additionally, it aids in distinguishing between neoplastic and hyperplastic lymph nodes. Therefore, distinguishing between benign and malignant tumours is the primary function of the DWI/ADC value.