Z-Score transformation of ADC values: A way to universal cut off between malignant and benign lymph nodes

European Journal of Radiology
Miaomiao Long 龙淼淼Apurwa Shrestha

Abstract

To determine the possibility of a universal cut off value between benign and malignant lymph nodes in patients with tumour by Z-Score transformation method. Diffusion weighted imaging, ADC measurements of malignant and benign lymph nodes of 6 studies (4 body parts), conducted for 5 times, in two institutions with variable technical details were analyzed in their original value as well as the standardized Z-Score value. The standardized Z-Score value was obtained by subtracting the population mean of the control group from an individual raw score and then dividing the difference by the population standard deviation of the control group. General cut off values were obtained by both Mega-analysis by receiver operator characteristic curve analysis, when data from the 6 studies were combined and Meta-analysis with weighting coefficients and cut off values of the six individual studies. Sensitivity, specificity and accuracy with cut offs from individual studies, meta-analysis and mega-analysis were calculated. Kappa test was performed to assess the consistency of diagnostic test accuracy, between optimized cut offs of individual studies and the proposed universal cut offs obtained from meta-analysis and mega-analysis. The ADC values ...Continue Reading

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