Is diffusion-weighted imaging a significant indicator of the development of vascularization in hypovascular hepatocellular lesions?

Abstract Objective The objective was to evaluate the efficacy of diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) in predicting the development of vascularization in hypovascular hepatocellular lesions (HHLs). Materials and methods Forty-two HHLs that were diagnosed by computed tomographic (CT) arteriography were evaluated retrospectively. The lesion on DWI was classified as isointense, hypointense, or hyperintense. Follow-up studies that included intravenous dynamic CT or magnetic resonance imaging were performed. Results The 730-day cumulative developments of vascularization in hypointense, isointense, and hyperintense lesions were 17%, 30%, and 40%, respectively. The differences among these developments were not statistically significant. Conclusion The signal intensity on DWI showed no significant difference in the development of vascularization.