Background: Indeterminate thyroid nodule that cannot be differentiated if is it benign or malignant thyroid nodule is problematic. Diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging is new non-invasive imaging technique that can distinguish among benign & malignant lesions.
Objective: This study aimed to investigate the role of diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance picturing in distinguishing among malignant & benign thyroid nodules. Also, comparing apparent diffusion coefficient value with histopathological findings. Patients & Methods: A cross-sectional research that was conducted on 15 studied cases with solitary or dominant thyroid nodules based on ultrasonography examination from March 2021 to March 2022. Ten were females and five were males with 20 thyroid nodules.
Results: Fifteen cases with total of twenty thyroid nodules. There were ten females and five males. Their ages ranged from 25 to 65 years old, with mean age of 47.13 ± 0.8. Largest diameter of nodules varied from 13 mm to 55 mm, with mean of 28.15 mm. . .ROC curve's area under curve was one. We chose an ADC cut-off value of less than and equal to one, sensitivity, specificity, PPV, NPV & accuracy were 100%, 94.12, 75, 100, 95% respectively.
Conclusion: ADC values appeared to be capable of distinguishing benign from malignant thyroid problems. In addition, thyroid ultrasonography & US guided-FNAC (fine needle aspiration cytology) for tissue characterization of thyroid nodules, DWI has great value as diagnostic tool, and outcomes may even play role in selection of nodules that will undergo FNAC.