Diagnostic contribution of diffusion-weighted imaging in liver hemangiomas

Objective: To evaluate the contribution of diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) and measure apparent diffusion coefficient values (ADC) in hepatic hemangiomas. Material and Methods: Seventy patients with liver hemangiomas were evaluated with DWI with a b value of 800 s/mm2. ADC map was created and ADC values were measured for 70 liver masses and normal liver tissue following DWI. ADC measurements of 70 normal liver parenchyma and mean ADC values of 80 hemangiomas are performed. Results: Eighty hemangiomas of 70 patients (50 female and 20 male) were evaluated. The mean age of the patients was 49.61±10.96 years. Hemangiomas were most frequently demonstrated at segment 7 (%28.8), segment 6 (%21.3), and least demonstrated at segment 5 (%5). While the mean ADC measurements of normal livers were 1.06±0.11 x 10-3 mm2/sn, the mean ADC values of hemangiomas were measured as 1.70±0.29 x 10-3 mm2/sn. Conclusion: DWI and the ADC measurements seem to be useful for the diagnosis of liver hemangiomas. DWI should be routinely added to conventional magnetic resonance imaging sequences.