Objective:To find the value of the apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) of diffusion weighted magnetic resonance imaging of common renal diseases. Methods: There were 30 healthy subjects and 81 patients with renal lesions (56 cases of renal carcinoma, 18 lesions of 12 cases of renal angiomyolipoma, and 21 lesions of 13 cases of renal cysts). Conventional magnetic resonance imaging and diffusion weighted magnetic resonance imaging were carried out. We measured the average ADC value of the renal lesions and normal kidneys. ADC maps from different b values were generated by a statistical package. Results: The ADC values of normal kidneys with three different motion-probing gradients(b=500, 800, 1000 sec/mm2) were 2.78±0.14×10-3mm2s-1, 2.45±0.13×10-3mm2s-1, 2.13±0.14×10-3mm2s-1, respectively. The ADC values of renal cell carcinoma with three different motion-probing gradients(b=500, 800, 1000 sec/mm2) were 1.63±0.14×10-3mm2s-1, 1.31±0.18×10-3mm2s-1, 1.07±0.15×10-3mm2s-1, respectively. Among the renal cell carcinoma, the ADC value of clear cell type were 1.67±0.09×10-3mm2s-1, 1.36±0.13×10-3mm2s-1, 1.15±0.14×10-3mm2s-1,respectively; the ADC values of granular cell type were 1.59±0.19×10-3mm2s-1, 1.25±0.22×10-3mm2s-1, 0.97±0.12×10-3mm2s-1, respectively. The ADC values of renal angiomyolipoma with three different motion-probing gradients(b=500, 800, 1000 sec/mm2) were 0.88±0.08×10-3mm2s-1, 0.63±0.07×10-3mm2s-1, 0.43±0.04×10-3mm2s-1, respectively. The ADC values of renal cystic lesions with three different motion-probing gradients(b=500, 800, 1000 sec/mm2) were 3.73±0.18×10-3mm2s-1, 3.44±0.13×10-3mm2s-1, 3.09±0.21×10-3mm2s-1, respectively. Statistically significant differences exists between the ADC values of normal kidney, renal carcinomas, renal angiomyolipomas and renal cysts when the b value is the same. Among the different cell types of renal carcinomas, the ADC value of granular cell carcinoma is lower than that of clear cell carcinomas. Conclusion: It is of benefit in diagnosing and distinguishing between benign and malignant renal tumors to know the ADC values in diffusion weighted magnetic resonance imaging. Furthermore, these values help to know the internal structure of the tumor and the tumor typel, which is helpful to the treatment and in predicting the patient’s prognosis.