Quantitative analysis of cerebral alveolar echinococcosis and brain tuberculoma by MR diffusion weighted imaging

The median and inter quartile range (IQR) of the ADC values of solid area of the cerebral alveolar echinococcosis and the brain tuberculoma lesion were: 1.08 × 10−3 mm2/s (1.03-1.13), 1.28 × 10−3 mm2/s (1.19-1.34), there was the significant difference between the average ADC values of the solid area of both diseases (t′−5.435, P < 0.0); The median and IQR of edema area of the ADC values of the cerebral alveolar echinococcosis and the brain tuberculoma lesion were: 1.08 × 10−3 mm2/s (0.99-1.19),1.39 × 10−3 mm2/s (1.23-1.49), there were the significant difference between average ADC difference around the edema area of both diseases (t′−6.191, p < 0.05); No statistical significance was shown when the ADC value of the edema area of cerebral alveolar echinococcosis was compared to the ADC value of the solid area (p > 0.05). The ADC values of solid area and the area around the edema of the brain tuberculoma were higher than that of the corresponding area of the cerebral alveolar echinococcosis. Conclusions: DWI combined with conventional MRI might be applied to provide valuable information for the diagnosis of the cerebral alveolar echinococcosis and the brain tuberculoma.