ROLE OF DIFFUSION-WEIGHTED IMAGING AND APPARENT DIFFUSION COEFFICIENT MAPPING IN CHARACTERIZING FOCAL LIVER LESIONS: A NON-INVASIVE DIAGNOSTIC APPROACH
Focal liver lesions (FLLs) encompass a diverse spectrum of benign and malignant abnormalities that require accurate diagnosis for effective management. This study evaluated the role of diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) and apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) mapping as non-invasive tools for characterizing FLLs. Conducted at Navodaya Medical College, Raichur, Karnataka, the study included 110 patients assessed using ultrasonography (USG), multi-detector computed tomography (MDCT), and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). DWI enabled the differentiation between benign and malignant lesions, with proposed ADC value ranges of 1.5 to 3.5 × 10?³ mm²/s for benign lesions (excluding abscesses) and 0.8 to 1.3 × 10?³ mm²/s for malignant lesions. Despite overlap in ADC values for hepatic abscesses and malignancies, clinical evaluation and conventional imaging provided additional diagnostic support. The findings underscore the utility of DWI as a reliable, non-invasive diagnostic method, potentially reducing the need for invasive procedures like biopsies. This approach offers a robust framework for enhancing the precision and efficiency of liver lesion characterization in clinical practice.