Assessment of apparent diffusion coefficient value as prognostic factor for renal cell carcinoma aggressiveness

Background Assurance of prognostic elements is important for the management of renal cell carcinoma (RCC). Our goal was to check the relation between apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) values and parameters predicting prognosis of RCC. Fifty pathologically confirmed RCC underwent diffusion-weighted (DW) MRI. ADC values were calculated using b factor (800 s/mm(2)). The correlation between ADC values and tumor size, cystic/necrotic feature, growth pattern, unenhanced T1, histological grade, clinical stage, and distant metastasis were analyzed. Results The optimal ADC threshold for prognosis of RCC appeared to be 1.4 x 10(-3) mm(2)/s. There was a significant inverse correlation between ADC values and growth pattern (R = - 0, P = 0.05), unenhanced T1(R = - 0.41, P = 0.01), cystic/necrotic feature (R = - 0.4, P = 0.01), histological grade (R = - 0.37, P = 0.02), clinical stage (r = - 0.4, P = 0.01), and distant metastasis (R = - 0.33, P = 0.04), and significant linear correlation with tumor size (R = 0.39, P < 0.02). Conclusion The performance of ADC value as a newly proposed prognostic parameter follows with the degree of tumor differentiation and that may recognize extremely aggressive RCC. RCC with low ADC values should be inspected extensively for the risk of high pathological grade, high clinical stage, and distant metastasis.