Comparison of CT, MRI, and Diffusion-Weight MRI in Differentiation Cystic Brain Tumors (Prospective Study)

To determine the ability of MRI, diffusion-weight MRI images and ADC (apparent diffusion coefficient) in comparison to CT scan to differentiation cystic brain tumors.

From January 2017 to October 2018, this prospective study included 60 patients (age range 20 to 85 years, mean age 55 years) diagnosed clinically as having cystic brain tumor. A conventional MRI was done on Philips MRI a 1.5T using T2, T1 and fat-suppressed technique and echo-planar spin-echo sequence diffusion weight and ADC is carried for all patients with CT scan.

All CT scan and MR imaging features were categorized brain lesion as cystic brain tumor according to the features of imaging which were compared the result with histopathological findings. Sixty patients, 34 male and 26 female the diagnosis was confirmed with pathological findings which included Primary malignant cystic brain tumors 16 (20%) Primary benign cystic brain tumor 24 (26%) and Metastatic tumor 20 (32%). The sensitivity for diagnosis primary malignant cystic tumor 60%, Primary benign cystic brain tumor 100% and the sensitivity of DWI for diagnosis metastasis tumor 81%. Diffusion-weight MRI and ADC is good modality for differentiation cystic necrotic tumor.

According to our results we concluded that MRI has more accuracy than CT scan for diagnosis brain tumors and biopsy correlation. Both CT scan and MRI reports for diagnosis of benign or malignant tumor compared with pathologic findings and they were not significant.