Degree of endometrial fibrosis evaluated using diffusion weighted imaging: initial findings

Motivation: Patients with endometrial fibrosis suffer from uterine infertility. Evaluating the degree of fibrotic endometrium can help clinicians to select the optimal treatment scheme. Goal(s): To investigate the value of DWI in distinguishing the degree of endometrial fibrosis. Approach: Mean intensity and standard deviation of endometrial ADC value in region of interest (ROI) (ADCROI and ADC-SDROI) and volume of interest (VOI) (ADCVOI and ADC-SDVOI) were measured and analyzed between healthy women, mild to moderate endometrial fibrosis (MMEF) patients and severe endometrial fibrosis (SEF) patients. Results: Endometrial MRI parameters were significantly correlated to the degree of endometrial fibrosis, which can well differentiate each group. Impact: This prospective study demonstrated the feasibility of DWI for quantitatively evaluating the degree of endometrial fibrosis, which can help clinicians to select the optimal treatment scheme and to perform dynamic follow-ups of therapy effect for patients with endometrial fibrosis.