Feasibility study of computed high b-value diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging for pediatric posterior fossa tumors.

PURPOSE

To evaluate the diagnostic efficacy of computed diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) in pediatric posterior fossa tumors generated using high b-values.

METHODS

We retrospectively performed our study on 32 pediatric patients who had undergone brain magnetic resonance imaging for a posterior fossa tumor between January 2016 and January 2022. The DWIs were evaluated for each patient by two blinded radiologists. The computed DWI (cDWI) was mathematically derived using a mono-exponential model from images with b = 0 and 1,000 s/mm and high b-values of 1,500, 2,000, 3,000, and 5,000 s/mm. The posterior fossa tumors were divided into two groups, low grade and high grade, and the tumor/thalamus signal intensity (SI) ratios were compared. The Mann-Whitney U test and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were used to compare the diagnostic performance of the acquired DWI (DWI), apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) maps, and cDWI (cDWI1500, cDWI, cDWI, and cDWI).

RESULTS

The comparison of the two tumor groups revealed that the tumor/thalamus SI ratio on the DWI and cDWI (cDWI1500, cDWI, cDWI, and cDWI) was statistically significantly higher in high-grade tumors ( < 0.001). In the ROC curve analysis, higher sensitivity and specificity were detected in the cDWI1500, cDWI, cDWI, and ADC maps (100%, 90.90%) compared with the DWI (80%, 81.80%). cDWI had the highest area under the curve (AUC) value compared with other parameters (AUC: 0.976).

CONCLUSION

cDWI generated using high b-values was successful in differentiating between low-grade and high-grade posterior fossa tumors without increasing imaging time.

CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE

cDWI created using high b-values can provide additional information about tumor grade in pediatric posterior fossa tumors without requiring additional imaging time.