New mathematical model for examination of cervical cancer by using diffusion–weighted magnetic resonance imaging

We compare the mean value of apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) in a healthy cervix, cancer affected cervix and the cervix after chemoradiation therapy and evaluate the correlation of the value of ADC with the various clinical and histological findings. Prospective clinical study accomplished in Lithuanian University of Health Sciences University Clinical Hospital. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) examinations performed on 117 women with and 49 women without cervical cancer by using a 1.5 Tesla scanner. Diffusion-weighted (DW) imaging was performing by using b values of 50, 400 and 800 s/mm(2). ADC measured in a healthy cervix, cancer affected cervix and the cervix 6 months after chemoradiation therapy. The mean ADC of the patients of the study group - 0.658 +/- 0.120x10(-3) mm(2)/s was considerably lower than the mean of the control group - 1.169 +/- 0.134x10(-3) mm(2)/s (t = 24.123, p = 0.02). There was no correlation between mean ADC and the stage of the disease, the histological type or grade of the tumor. A weak negative correlation was detected between ADC and the age of the subjects (r = -0,337, p = 0,000). The mean ADC of responders increased to 1.111 +/- 0.138x10(-3) mm(2)/s, the mean ADC of non-responders remained lower - 0.733 +/- 0.073x10(-3) mm(2)/s (t = 9.158, p = 0.04). The ADC value in the case of cervical cancer is significantly lower than in the non-affected cervical tissue. It increases after effective chemoradiation therapy and becomes closer to the coefficient value of non-affected cervical tissue but remains lower. We cannot credibly consider about the stage of the disease, the histological type and grade of the tumor, according to the ADC value of cervical cancer. Slight decreasing of ADC value closely relate with elderly of patients.