Diffusion Weighted Magnetic Resonance Imaging in Differentiation of Benign and Malignant Thyroid Nodules

Abstract

Thyroid nodules are common; their clinical significance is mainly related to excluding malignancy. Regardless of the careful reporting of FNAC and frozen section biopsies, there is significant number of discordance with final histopathology reports, which leads to unnecessary thyroidectomies. DWI-MRI can help in the differentiation of benign and malignant thyroid nodules providing qualitative and quantitative information about the diffusion properties. Objective: Is to determine the diagnostic accuracy of Diffusion-Weighted Imaging (DWI) and Apparent Diffusion Coefficient (ADC) mapping in differentiating benign from malignant thyroid nodules by taking histopathology as the gold standard. Patient and methods: This study was performed on 32 cases who were diagnosed by ultrasonography to have thyroid nodules; in the General Naval Military Hospital. The patients were referred from the surgery department to the radiology department over a period of 18 months (January 2018– June 2018). Results: In this study the sensitivity of DWI and ADC mapping in differentiating benign from malignant thyroid nodules reached 100%. Conclusion: Quantitative DWI has a high sensitivity, and may be a reliable, non-invasive and non-radiative imaging modality for the detection of thyroid nodules. ADC values seem to be able to differentiate benign from malignant thyroid disease.