Diffusion-Weighted MRI for Intracranial Tumor Differentiation: Analyzing the Role of Apparent Diffusion Coefficient Values

Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) has become a standard non-invasive method for evaluating brain lesions, offering highly detailed structural data. However, traditional MRI faces limitations in differentiating between various tumor components, peritumoral edema, and healthy brain tissue. Diffusion-Weighted Imaging (DWI), an advanced MRI modality, overcomes some of these challenges by measuring water molecule movement within tissues, providing additional insights for precise tumor evaluation. This study explores the diffusion characteristics of intracranial tumor components using DWI. Forty patients with intracranial tumors underwent both conventional MRI and DWI, utilizing an echo-planar diffusion imaging protocol to create apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) maps. Absolute ADC values were calculated for tumor components, peritumoral edema, and normal brain tissue. Meningiomas emerged as the primary extra-axial lesions with higher ADC values than those of normal tissue, while gliomas—primarily astrocytomas—constituted the main intra-axial lesions with mean ADC values of 1.2 ± 0.69 x 10⁻³ mm²/s. This study concludes that DWI significantly enhances the diagnosis and characterization of intracranial neoplasms, improving differentiation between tumor components and surrounding tissues.