The importance of diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging in the research of the primers of metastatic brain masses

It is generally difficult to make a differential diagnosis in central nervous system tumors(CNS). The sequences of conventional magnetic resonance imaging provide limited information. The aim of our study is to determine the contributions of diffusion-weighted imaging(DWI) and apperent diffusion coefficient (ADC) in the differential diagnosis of CNS tumors. In our study, 317 patient who went to Tokat Gaziosmanpaşa University Medical Faculty Hospital with the complaints of central nervous system and had CNS tumor between July2013 and July 2020 were included in our study. Standard b0 and b1000 diffusion-weighted images and ADC maps were obtained with a 1,5 T MRI device. In each case ,3 different mesasurements were made using ROI(region of interest) the average of ADC rates was scaled. Measurements were not made from püre cystic lesions,hemorrhagic and necrotic components,as this may cause false results. Statistical methods were used to analyze whether there was a significant difference between the groups or not. Of the 317 patients included in the study.188 were primary central nervous system tumors and 129 were metastases. However, due to the small number of patients in some groups, statistical analysis was performed only on lung and breast patients in the metastatic group, and on meningioma, advanced glial masses, and low-stage glial masses in the primary group. Other patients were grouped together as other primary and other metastases. In the measurements made, the mean ADC values of metastatic tumors were statistically significantly lower than primary central nervous system tumors(p=0,001). In the comparison between all cancer types, ADC values of low-grade glial masses were significantly higher than all other groups(p˂0,001). In the comparison between metastases, the average ADC values of patients with lung cancer were significantly higher than those in the other metastasis group(p=0,034). Ayrıca akciğer metastazı olan 77 hasta akciğer kanserinin subtiplerine göre alt gruplara ayrıldı. Comparing the mean ADC values of lung subtypes, the ADC values of SCLC patients were significantly lower than the other subtypes (p=0,006). As a result, differences were found between mean ADC values in the diagnosis of CNS tumors. Therefore, it is thought that it will provide useful information in the differential diagnosis of CNS tumors, but will be insufficient alone to make a definitive diagnosis.