Objective To explore the value of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) combined with diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) in the diagnosis of cervical cancer. Methods 63 cases of cervical cancer treated in our hospital from January 2015 to October 2017 were selected, the routine MRI and DWI scan were performed in all patients. Results The MRI staging, MRI+DWI and pathological staging of cervical cancer were 0.507 and 0.794, P<0.05. The overall accuracy rate of MRI+DWI staging for cervical cancer was 84.13%, which was significantly higher than that in MRI staging (P<0.05). There was no significant difference in the apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) between the squamous cell carcinoma and the adenocarcinoma of the cervix (P<0.05). The ADC value of the lesion after radiotherapy and chemotherapy was (1.50±0.21)×10-3mm2 /s, which was significantly higher than that before radiotherapy and chemotherapy (P<0.05). The ADC value of the patients with complete remission (CR) was (1.52±0.12)×10- 3 mm2 /s, significantly higher than that of patients with partial remission (PR) (P<0.05). Conclusion MRI combined with DWI has a good value in the diagnosis of cervical cancer, has high accuracy in cervical cancer staging diagnosis, and DWI quantitative index ADC plays a certain role in evaluating the effect of radiotherapy and chemotherapy.