Technology

Dynamic susceptibility contrast (DSC) MRI methods that allow the creation of relative cerebral blood volume (rCBV) maps have the potential to provide more specific information about brain tumor biology and vasculature than compared to standard anatomical MR images.  Several laboratories have demonstrated the feasibility of determining rCBV in patients with brain tumors. It has been shown that MRI-derived rCBV may:  1) better differentiate histologic brain tumor types than conventional MRI; 2) provide information to predict glial tumor grade; and 3) may even predict survival better than conventional histopathological tumor grading.  In addition, rCBV maps may aid in the differentiation of post-treatment changes from tumor recurrence, and predict local recurrence or malignant transformation earlier than conventional anatomical MR imaging.

Despite widespread and well-published potential, the incorporation of MR perfusion imaging into mainstream clinical practice has been impeded. One explanation for this slow incorporation is that the accuracy of such perfusion maps can be confounded by leakage of contrast agent from the vessels into the adjacent tissue.  Most of the available DSC post-processing software tools do not incorporate algorithms to correct for this contrast leakage effect and provide widely varying results. The DSC post-processing in IB NeuroTM incorporates leakage correction algorithms that are based on over 10 years of scientific and clinical research.  A recent, award-winning comparison study demonstrated that the post-processing method is the superior choice for brain tumor MR perfusion imaging.

Additional information regarding the technology and potential applications can be found in the following references:

• Schmainda KM, et al., Am J Neuroradiology 24:1524-1532 (2004)
   
• Boxerman JL, et al., Am J Neuroradiology 27:859-67 (2006)
   
• Quarles CC, Schmainda KM. Magnetic Resonance in Medicine 57(4):680-687 (2007)
   
• Batchelor T, et al,. Cancer Cell 11(1): 83-95 (2007)