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/mm(2) 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 x 10(-3) mm(2)/s, 0.82 +/- 0.17 x 10(-3) mm(2)/s, and 1.03 +/- 0.16 x 10(-3) mm(2)/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 x 10(-3) mm(2)/s) and Warthin tumors (0.19 +/- 0.04 and 0.73 +/- 0.22 x 10(-3) mm(2)/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 x 10(-3) mm(2)/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.