Objective To investigate the value of conventional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) combined with diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) in preoperative staging of cervical cancer. Methods A total of 56 patients with cervical cancer who admitted to the hospital from September 2016 to September 2018 were selected for retrospective analysis. Conventional MRI combined with DWI was performed to measure the apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) value of tumor tissues and residual normal cervical tissues. With postoperative pathological staging as the golden standard, the accuracy of preoperative staging of cervical cancer was compared between conventional MRI scan and conventional MRI combined with DWI scan. Results The ADC value of the solid part of cervical cancer was significantly higher than that of the residual normal cervical tissue [(0.88±0.32)×10-3mm2 /s vs (1.58±0.20)×10-3mm2 /s] (t=13.882, P<0.001). The accuracy of MRI combined with DWI for preoperative staging of cervical cancer was significantly higher than that of conventional MRI (χ2 =5.617, P=0.040). Conclusion Preoperative conventional MRI combined with DWI is a reliable and accurate imaging diagnostic method for cervical cancer. It can be used to assess the preoperative stage accurately, and guide the choice of treatment plan and evaluate the prognosis.