Objective:

To investigate the relationship between apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) value and molecular biomarkers in breast invasive ductal carcinomas (IDCs)

which may facilitate the optimal treatment and prognosis prediction.

Methods:

A total of 67 patients with IDC were enrolled in this study. All the patients underwent breast diffusion weighted magnetic resonance imaging (DW-MRI) before treatment. The ADC values of IDCs were calculated. The expressions of estrog

en receptor (ER)

progesterone receptor (PR)

Ki-67

human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER-2) were analyzed by immunohistochemistry. The relationships between ADC values and ER

PR

HER-2 and ki-67 expressions were statistically evaluated while the ADC values in different subtypes were also studied.

Results:

The ADC values of IDCs did not correlate significantly with Ki-67 by Spearmans correlation analysis (

P

0.05); The mean ADC value was higher in IDCs with negative ER

PR and HER-2 expressions than that with positive expressions (

P

0.05); The triple-negative IDC had higher mean ADC value than Luminal A

Luminal B and HER-2 overexpressing IDCs (

P

0.05); The mean ADC value in HER-2 overexpressing IDC was significantly higher than that in Luminal B type IDC (

P

0.05).

Conclusion:

The ADC value could be used to evaluate the expressions of molecular biomarkers and IDC subtype

which could help determine individual treatment and predict prognosis.