Diffusion-weighted imaging of rectal cancer on repeatability and cancer characterization: an effect of b-value distribution study

BACKGROUND: To explore the effect of b-value distributions on the repeatability and diagnostic performance of the ADC value in rectal cancer patients using multiple b-values and mono-exponential model diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI). METHODS: Thirty-two preoperative rectal cancer patients, without receiving neoadjuvant therapy, were scanned on a 3 Tesla magnetic resonance imaging scanner using DWI with 10 b-values ranging from 0 to 2000 s/mm(2). The apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) value was calculated using a mono-exponential model and 31 b-value combinations consisting of 2 to 10 b-values were explored. Regions of interest with the maximum cross-sectional tumour size were outlined on the ADC map by two independent observers. Intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC), coefficient of variation (CV), and Bland-Altman plots between the two observers were calculated and evaluated to determine repeatability. Areas under receiver operating characteristic curves (AUCs) were evaluated for rectal cancer characterization. Correlations between the mean ADC values and T stage were assessed using the Spearman correlation coefficient (ρ). α (= ICC + AUC + |ρ|- CV - |bias|) was defined and used to assess the optimal b-value distribution. RESULTS: Postoperative pathology tests revealed 4 patients with T1, 10 patients with T2, and 18 patients with T3 stages. There were no significant difference in age and sex between the two groups (T1–2 vs. T3). Excellent reproducibility was observed for ADC values between two observers with ICC and CV values ranging from 0.920 to 0.998, and 1.475 to 5.568%, respectively. The mean percent difference and ρ between the paired measurements was ranged from − 2.7 to 1.2% and from − 0.759 to − 0.407, respectively. The b-value combinations with the top three α values were b(0, 1000 s/mm(2)), b(500, 1500, 2000 s/mm(2)) and b(100, 1000, 1500 s/mm(2)) for α = 2.581, 2.571 and 2.569, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The number of b-values and their distributions influenced the repeatability of the ADC values and their diagnostic performance. The optimal b-value combination was 0 and 1000 s/mm(2) for DWI examination of rectal cancer patients. ELECTRONIC SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIAL: The online version of this article (10.1186/s40644-018-0177-1) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.