Original Research

Contribution of diffusion tensor imaging to delineation of gliomas and glioblastomas

  1. A. Tropine MD1,†,*,
  2. G. Vucurevic MSc1,
  3. P. Delani MSc1,
  4. S. Boor MD1,
  5. N. Hopf MD2,
  6. J. Bohl MD3,
  7. P. Stoeter MD1

Article first published online: 19 NOV 2004

DOI: 10.1002/jmri.20217

Issue

Journal of Magnetic Resonance Imaging

Journal of Magnetic Resonance Imaging

Volume 20, Issue 6, pages 905–912, December 2004

Additional Information

How to Cite

Tropine, A., Vucurevic, G., Delani, P., Boor, S., Hopf, N., Bohl, J. and Stoeter, P. (2004), Contribution of diffusion tensor imaging to delineation of gliomas and glioblastomas. Journal of Magnetic Resonance Imaging, 20: 905–912. doi: 10.1002/jmri.20217

Author Information

  1. 1

    Institute of Neuroradiology, University Clinic Mainz, Mainz, Germany

  2. 2

    Clinic of Neurosurgery, University Clinic Mainz, Mainz, Germany

  3. 3

    Institute of Neuropathology, University Clinic Mainz, Mainz, Germany

  1. †

    This article is a part of a thesis by A. Tropine.

*Institute of Neuroradiology, University Clinic, Langenbeckstr.1, D-55101 Mainz, Germany

Publication History

  1. Issue published online: 19 NOV 2004
  2. Article first published online: 19 NOV 2004
  3. Manuscript Accepted: 25 AUG 2004
  4. Manuscript Received: 18 MAR 2004

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Keywords:

  • diffusion tensor imaging;
  • cerebral tumors;
  • white matter infiltration;
  • compression of white matter fibers;
  • tumor border

Abstract

Purpose

To determine if the diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) parameters fractional anisotropy (FA) and mean diffusivity (MD) can differentiate between accompanying edema and tumor cell infiltration of white matter (WM) beyond the tumor edge as defined from conventional MRI in low- and high-grade gliomas.

Materials and Methods

We examined 12 patients with high-grade gliomas/glioblastomas and eight patients with low-grade gliomas and compared them to 10 patients with meningiomas, in which no tumor infiltration is expected. The tumor was defined as the enhancing area in glioblastomas and meningiomas and as the area of increased T2-signal in low-grade gliomas. FA and MD were measured in the center of the tumor and in the adjacent WM. The contralateral WM and internal capsule were used as an internal standard.

Results

Comparing the WM areas of increased T2-signal adjacent to meningiomas and glioblastomas, we saw a trend (without significance) towards a reduction of FA, but not of MD, in glioblastomas. We found no changes of FA and MD in the WM adjacent to low-grade gliomas (without T2-signal increase) compared to the WM of the contralateral hemisphere. In meningiomas and high-grade gliomas/glioblastomas, a narrow rim of significantly (P < 0.01) increased FA and decreased MD values around the enhancing tumor area was seen, whereas in low-grade gliomas, such a rim could not be defined. There was no contribution of FA or MD to grading of gliomas.

Conclusion

In glioblastomas, a reduction of FA in the edematous area surrounding the tumor may indicate tumor cell infiltration, but a reliable differentiation between infiltration and vasogenic edema is not yet possible on the basis of DTI. The additional finding of a narrow rim of increased FA and decreased MD at the edge of glioblastomas (as well as in meningiomas) may be caused by com-pressed WM fibers and/or increased vascularity, but does not contribute to exclude peripheral cellular infiltration. J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2004;20:905–912. © 2004 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

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