Differentiation of olfactory neuroblastomas from nasal squamous cell carcinomas using MR diffusion kurtosis imaging and dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the use of magnetic resonance (MR) diffusion kurtosis imaging (DKI) and dynamic contrast-enhanced MR imaging (DCE-MRI) in the differentiation of olfactory neuroblastomas (ONBs) from squamous cell carcinomas (SCCs).

MATERIALS AND METHODS: DKI and DCE-MRI were performed in 17 patients with ONBs and 23 patients with SCCs on a 3T MR scanner. Parameters derived from DKI and DCE-MRI were measured and compared between ONBs and SCCs using an independent samples t-test. The sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, positive predictive values (PPV), negative predictive values (NPV), and the area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve were determined.

RESULTS: The mean kurtosis (K) value of ONBs was significantly higher than that of SCCs (P < 0.001), and the mean fractional volume in the extravascular extracellular space (Ve ) value of ONBs was lower than that of SCCs (P < 0.001). The ROC curve analyses yielded a cutoff K value of 0.953, with a sensitivity of 94.1%, a specificity of 69.6%, and an accuracy of 80.0%; the cutoff Ve value was 0.493, with a sensitivity of 70.6%, a specificity of 95.7%, and an accuracy of 85.0%. A parallel test with K value >0.953 or Ve value ≤0.493 achieved a sensitivity of 94.1%, a specificity of 100.0%, and an accuracy of 97.5% for differentiating ONBs from SCCs.

CONCLUSION: The K value of DKI and Ve value of DCE-MRI have potential use in the differentiation of ONBs and SCCs.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 3 Technical Efficacy: Stage 2 J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2018;47:354-361.