Objective To explore the clinical value of the apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) and dynamic-contrast enhancement (MRI-DCE) parameters of magnetic resonance diffusion-weighted imaging (MRI-DWI)in evaluating the curative effect and prognosis of patients with esophageal cancer treated with concurrent chemoradiotherapy. Methods Seventy patients with esophageal cancer admitted to the hospital during the period were selected. All of them underwent concurrent chemoradiotherapy and the effects were recorded. MRI-DWI and MRI-DCE were performed before and after chemoradiotherapy to obtain the ADC value of MRI-DWI scan and quantitative parameters of MRI-DCE scan [capacity transfer constant (Ktrans), extravascular extracellular space to volume ratio (Ve), rate constant (Kep)]. The relevant parameters were compared between groups with different curative effect and different prognosis. The ROC curve was used to evaluate the effects of relevant parameters in predicting the curative effect of concurrent chemoradiotherapy. Results The ADC value and Ktrans of CR group were higher than those of PR group (P<0.05), but there was no significant difference in Ve or Kep between the two groups (P>0.05). ROC curve analysis showed that Ktrans=0.29/min was the threshold before chemoradiotherapy. The area under the curve, sensitivity and specificity for predicting CR were 0.840, 70.0% and 81.5%. The threshold of ADC value before chemoradiotherapy was 1.59×10-3mm2 /s. The area under the curve, sensitivity and specificity for predicting CR were 0.811, 76.0% and 76.0%, respectively. The ADC value and Ktrans of the survival group were higher than those of the death group (P<0.05), but there was no significant difference in Ve or Kep(P>0.05). Conclusion The ADC value of MRI-DWI and Ktrans of MRI-DCE are helpful to evaluate the curative effect and prognosis of patients with esophageal cancer treated with concurrent chemoradiotherapy.