Head and Neck Tumors: Assessment of Perfusion-Related Parameters and Diffusion Coefficients Based on the Intravoxel Incoherent Motion Model

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: IVIM MR imaging provides perfusion and diffusion information with a single diffusion-weighted MR image. We determined whether PP and D differ among various types of head and neck tumors.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study cohort included 123 head and neck tumors: 30 SCCs, 28 benign and 20 malignant SG tumors, 36 lymphomas, and 9 schwannomas. The D and PP values were determined by using b-values of 0, 500, and 1000 s/mm² based on the IVIM model.

RESULTS: The PP values (lymphomas, 0.09 ± 0.04; SCCs, 0.15 ± 0.04; and malignant SG tumors, 0.22 ± 0.07) and D values (0.47 ± 0.07 × 10⁻³ mm²/s, 0.82 ± 0.17 × 10⁻³ mm²/s, and 1.03 ± 0.16 × 10⁻³ mm²/s, respectively) were significantly different among the malignant tumors (P < .01). These values were also significantly different between pleomorphic adenomas (0.13 ± 0.02 and 1.44 ± 0.39 × 10⁻³ mm²/s) and Warthin tumors (0.19 ± 0.04 and 0.73 ± 0.22 × 10⁻³ mm²/s) (P < .001). The PP values of malignant SG tumors were significantly different from those of pleomorphic adenomas (P = .001) and the D values of the malignant SG tumors were significantly different from those of pleomorphic adenomas (P = .002) and Warthin tumors (P = .007). Schwannomas had large PP (0.23 ± 0.08) and D values (1.26 ± 0.20 × 10⁻³ mm²/s), greatly overlapping those of some SG tumor types.

CONCLUSIONS: Head and neck tumors had distinctive PP and D values by using IVIM MR imaging.