AUTHOR=Jiang Liling , Chen Jiao , Tan Yong , Wu Jian , Zhang Junbin , Liu Daihong , Zhang Jiuquan 

TITLE=Comparative analysis of the image quality and diagnostic performance of the zooming technique with diffusion-weighted imaging using different b-values for thyroid papillary carcinomas and benign nodules

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Oncology

VOLUME=14

YEAR=2024

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/oncology/articles/10.3389/fonc.2024.1241776

DOI=10.3389/fonc.2024.1241776

ISSN=2234-943X

ABSTRACT=<sec><title>Objective</title><p>To compare image quality and diagnostic performance using different b-values for the zooming technique with diffusion-weighted imaging (ZOOMit-DWI) in thyroid nodules</p></sec><sec><title>Materials and methods</title><p>A total of 51 benign thyroid nodules and 50 thyroid papillary carcinomas were included. ZOOMit-DWI was performed with b-values of 0, 500, 1000, 1500 and 2000 s/mm<sup>2</sup>. The sharpness was evaluated as subjective index. The signal intensity ratio (SIR), signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) were measured as objective indices. Pairwise comparisons were performed among the different b-value groups using the <italic>Friedman</italic> test. A receiver operating characteristic curve of the ADC value was used to evaluate diagnostic performance. The DeLong test was used to compare diagnostic effectiveness among the different b-value groups</p></sec><sec><title>Results</title><p>In both the papillary carcinoma group (<italic>P</italic> = 0.670) and the benign nodule group (<italic>P</italic> = 0.185), the sharpness of nodules was similar between b-values of 1000 s/mm<sup>2</sup>and 1500 s/mm<sup>2</sup>. In the papillary carcinoma group, the SIR<sub>nodule</sub> was statistically higher in DWI images with a b-value of 1500 s/mm<sup>2</sup>than in DWI images with b-values of 500 s/mm<sup>2</sup>(<italic>P</italic> = 0.004), 1000 s/mm<sup>2</sup>(<italic>P</italic> = 0.002), and 2000 s/mm<sup>2</sup>(<italic>P</italic> = 0.003). When the b-values were 1500 s/mm<sup>2</sup>(<italic>P</italic> = 0.008) and 2000 s/mm<sup>2</sup>(<italic>P</italic> = 0.009), the SIR<sub>nodule</sub> significantly differed between the papillary carcinoma group and the benign nodule group. When b = 500 s/mm<sup>2</sup>, the ADC had an AUC of 0.888. When b = 1000 s/mm<sup>2</sup>, the ADC had an AUC of 0.881. When b = 1500 s/mm<sup>2</sup>, the ADC had an AUC of 0.896. When b = 2000 s/mm<sup>2</sup>, the ADC had an AUC of 0.871. The DeLong test showed comparable diagnostic effectiveness among the different b-value groups except for between b-values of 2000 s/mm<sup>2</sup>and 1500 s/mm<sup>2</sup>, with a b-value of 2000 s/mm<sup>2</sup>showing lower effectiveness</p></sec><sec><title>Conclusion</title><p>This study suggests that 1500 s/mm<sup>2</sup>may be a suitable b-value to differentiate benign and malignant thyroid nodules in ZOOMit-DWI images, which yielded better image quality</p></sec>