Single-shot turbo spin-echo diffusion-weighted imaging versus echo planar imaging for evaluating retinoblastoma

YIN Qiufeng; ZHANG Yuzhen; CHEN Shuxian; LI Yuhua; LIU Ming

Abstract：Objective To investigate feasibility of TSE-DWI in the evaluation of retinoblastoma compared to EP imaging. Methods Thirty-one patients with retinoblastoma (n=34 eyes) were assessed with conventional MR images and DWI(ADC maps). TSE-DWI and EP-DWI were performed with b-values of 0 and 1 000 s/mm2. ADC maps were measured for enhancing tumor tissue in the level of maximum cross section and the area of the section also was measured. All data were analyzed with the Statistical Package for the Social Science software package. Results Intraocular lesions were clearly visualized on the TSE Diffu-sion-Weighted images without obvious susceptibility artifacts and geometrical distortion,whereas,all showed deformity on EP ima-ges. On the TSE-DWI,the areas of enhancing tumor tissues in the level of maximum cross section ranged from 38 mm2to 161 mm2(mean ± SD:98.5 ± 39.6 mm2). On the EP images, the areas ranged from 33 mm2to 159 mm2(87.9 ± 34.3) mm2. There was a significant correlation in the areas measurement between the TSE-DWI and EP imaging( r =0.829,P <0.05). On the TSE-DWI,the ADCs of the lesions ranged from 0.49×10-3mm2/s to 1.25×10-3mm2/s (mean ± SD:0.76 ± 0.23×10-3 mm2/s). On the EP images, the ADCs ranged from 0.50 ×10-3mm2/s to 1.39 ×10-3mm2/s (0.87 ± 0.19 ×10-3mm2/s). There was a significant correlation in ADC measurement between the TSE-DWI and EP imaging ( r =0.376,P <0.05). Con-clusion TSE-DWI can achieve high quality images without distortion and less susceptibility artifacts compared to EP images in retinoblastomas. The technique may have the important clinical application value to assess the tumor tissues with the precise quan-titative analysis.