The aim of the present study was to evaluate the diagnostic benefit of diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) in the detection of homogenous isoattenuating insulinoma on biphasic contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CT) preoperatively and to determine which magnetic resonance (MR) sequences exhibited the best diagnostic performance. A total of 44 consecutive patients who underwent biphasic contrast-enhanced CT and conventional MR imaging (MRI), including DWI on a 3T scanner, were identified retrospectively. Apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) values of insulinomas and the surrounding pancreatic parenchyma were compared using a Wilcoxon signed-rank test. Receiver operating characteristic analysis was used to compare the diagnostic accuracy of four randomized image sets [T2-weighted image (WI), axial T1WI, DWI and T2WI + DWI] for each reader. Axial T1-weighted MRI exhibited the highest relative sensitivity for each reader; DWI alone exhibited the lowest relative sensitivity and the lower inter-reader agreement. There was no significant difference in lesion detection between T2WI and T2WI + DWI image sets for each reader. The ADC values of the insulinoma were significantly lower compared with those of the surrounding parenchyma. In conclusion, DWI does not benefit the detection of homogenous isoattenuating insulinoma. Axial T1WI is the optimal pulse sequence. Quantitative assessment of the tumor ADC values may be a useful tool to characterize identified pancreatic neoplasms.
Keywords: diffusion-weighted imaging; insulinoma; magnetic resonance imaging; multi-detector computed tomography; pancreas.