Summarize: Advanced neuroimaging led to changes in neuro-oncologists’ management plans for 44% of high-grade glioma cases with unclear MRI results, proving helpful in 93% of cases, according to a study from the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center.

Key Takeaways

  • Significant Impact on Management Plans: Neuro-oncologists changed their management plans in 44% of cases for adult patients with high-grade glioma (HGG) after undergoing advanced neuroimaging to evaluate unclear MRI results.
  • High Utility of Advanced Imaging: Advanced neuroimaging was found to be helpful in 93% of the episodes, indicating its strong potential in aiding decision-making for treatment monitoring in HGG patients.
  • Recommendation for Protocol Integration: The study supports the incorporation of advanced neuroimaging techniques into standard imaging protocols for treatment monitoring in adult HGG patients, given its substantial impact on clinical management.

——————————————————————————————————————————————————

Neuro-oncologists’ management plans changed in a substantial fraction of adult patients with high-grade glioma (HGG) who underwent advanced neuroimaging to further evaluate conventional MRI findings equivocal for tumor progression versus treatment effect, according to a study in the American Journal of Roentgenology (AJR).

Enhancing Glioma Treatment Evaluation

“The impact of advanced neuroimaging techniques on management decisions supports their incorporation into imaging protocols for treatment monitoring in adult patients with HGG,” writes corresponding author Melissa M. Chen, MD, from the neuroradiology department at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston.

Performed at the brain and spine institute of a comprehensive cancer center from March 1, 2017, to October 31, 2020, Chen and her colleagues’ prospective AJR study included adult patients treated by chemoradiation for WHO grade 4 diffuse glioma who underwent MRI-based advanced neuroimaging (comprising multiple perfusion imaging sequences and spectroscopy) to further evaluate findings on conventional MRI equivocal for tumor progression versus treatment effect.

Altering Treatment Plans for Glioma Patients

The ordering neuro-oncologists completed surveys before and after each advanced neuroimaging session. The percent of care episodes with a change between the intended and actual management plan on the surveys conducted before and after advanced neuroimaging, respectively, was computed and compared with a previously published percentage using independently sampled proportions.

Neuro-oncologists changed their management plans in 44% (31/70, [95% CI: 33–56%]) of cases for high-grade glioma patients with unclear post-treatment MRI results after advanced neuroimaging. They found the advanced imaging helpful in 93% (65/70, [95% CI: 87–99%]) of episodes.