BACKGROUND: To determine if histograms of ADC can be used to differentiate ventricular ependymomas, choroid plexus papillomas (CPPs), and central neurocytomas (CNCs).

MATERIAL AND METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed records from 185 patients from 1 January 2014 to 1 November 2018. We finally included a total of 60 patients: 36 (60.00%) had histologically confirmed ependymomas, 10 (16.67%) had CPPs, and 14 (23.33%) had CNCs, as determined by routine MRI scanning at 3.0T. The ADC histogram features were derived and then compared by Kruskal-Wallis test (they were not normally distributed). Bonferroni test was used to compare the 2 groups and then we determined the ROC.

RESULTS: Ependymomas had significantly higher mean, perc.01%, perc.10%, perc.50%, perc.90%, and perc.99% than CNCs. Ependymomas had significantly lower skewness than CNCs. Histogram metrics derived from mean, perc.01%, perc.10%, perc.50%, and perc.90% were significantly lower in the CNCs group than in the CPPs group. CPPs showed significantly lower skewness than CNCs. A threshold value of 86.50 for perc.50% to predict ependymomas from CNCs was estimated (AUC=0.97, sensitivity=97.20%, specificity=85.70%). Optimal diagnostic performance to predict CPPs from CNCs (AUC=0.96, sensitivity=100.00%, specificity=85.70%) was obtained when setting Perc.50%=84.00 as the threshold value.

CONCLUSIONS: The ADC histogram analysis may help to discriminate ependymomas, CPPs, and CNCs.

Keywords: Cerebral Ventricle Neoplasms, Diffusion Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Adolescent, Child, Child, Preschool, ependymoma, Histological Techniques, Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted, Infant, Magnetic Resonance Imaging, neurocytoma, Papilloma, Choroid Plexus, ROC Curve, Sensitivity and Specificity