ADC map
Read Your Scan Editorial Team·Last updated
Written from published radiology references and reviewed for plain language. Not written or signed by a physician, and not a diagnosis. How we write these pages →
In plain language
A picture calculated from the diffusion sequence, used as its cross-check: genuinely restricted tissue is bright on diffusion and dark here. Radiologists read the two together because diffusion images alone can shine for uninteresting reasons.
Where you’ll see this
MRI technique and findings, alongside DWI.
Your report may word it “ADC” or “Apparent diffusion coefficient”. These mean the same thing.
Questions worth asking your doctor
- Did this scan use the right technique to answer my question?
- Would contrast, or a different sequence, show something this one could not?
- Do I need another scan, or is this one enough?
How the scan was taken
Where this word comes up
See this word on your own scan
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Read Your Scan is informational only — not a medical diagnosis, and not a substitute for a licensed radiologist or your doctor. If you have urgent symptoms, seek care.