Diffusion weighted imaging of nasopharyngeal adenoid hypertrophy

Abstract

Background

Diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) could be helpful for the differentiation of malignant and benign entities. Nasopharyngeal adenoid hypertrophy (NAH) is a typical benign lesion. DWI appearances of this lesion have not been reported previously.

Purpose

To identify and to analyse DWI findings of NAH.

Material and Methods

We analyzed 688 MR investigations of the head performed at our institution. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was obtained at a 1.5 T MRI device. Beside normal standard sequences DWI was obtained using a multislice single-shot echo-planar sequence. DWI was performed with b values of 0, 500, and 1000  s/mm².

Results

The mean whole lesion ADC value was 0.83 ± 0.12 × 10^–3 mm²s^–1 (median, 0.82 × 10^–3 mm² s^–1; range, 0.58–1.45 × 10^–3 mm² s^–1). The mean ADC value of solid areas of NAH was 0.59 ± 0.11 × 10^–3 mm² s^–1 (range, 0.36–0.84 × 10^–3 mm² s^–1).

Conclusion

Although NAH is a benign lesion, it shows low ADC values both in childhood and in adults. This finding should be kept in mind to avoid possible misinterpretations as a malignant lesion.