Objective To compare the difference of ADC values between cervical cancer and normal cervical tissue, and to evaluate the value of DWI in diagnosis of cervical cancer. Methods 44 patients with cervical cancer and 20 adult female healthy volunteers were included in this study. MRI examinations were performed preoperatively at a GE 3.0T MR scanner. ADC values of different zones of the normal cervical tissue, as well as diffusion signal intensity in DWI, were compared. The ADC values of tumor were compared with those of the normal cervical tissue.ROC were drawn to analyze the criteria value of ADC, and the sensitivity and specificity were calculated. Results The ADC values of cervical endometrium, conjunctive zone and muscular layer were (1.590±0.311)×10- 3 mm2 /s,(1.361±0.203)×10-3mm2 /s and (1.911±0.305)×10-3mm2 /s respectively, there were significant differences statistically between the three pairwise(P<0.05). The diffusion signal intensity in DWI of cervical endometrium, conjunctive zone and muscular layer was (268.000±32.901), (148.461±45.051) and (193.846±41.910) respectively, there were significant differences between the three pairwise(P<0.05). Cervical cancer lesion demonstrated obviously hyperintensity on DWI images. The mean ADC value of tumor (0.924±0.110)×10-3mm2 /s was statistically lower than that of endometrium, conjunctive zone and muscular layer (P<0.05). A cut-off value of 1.120×10-3mm2 /s were used for diagnosis of cervical cancer with a sensitivity of 100%, specificity of 95.5%. Conclusion Both the MR diffusion signal intensity and the ADC values of the normal cervix and tumor were different. MR diffusion weighted imaging may be a useful tool for diagnosis and differential diagnosis of cervical cancer.