Diffusion-weighted MRI in neuro-oncology.

Area of Science:

• Neuroimaging
• Radiology
• Medical Physics

Background:

• Diffusion-weighted MRI (DW-MRI) visualizes water molecule diffusion for enhanced image contrast.
• Its primary use is in diagnosing acute cerebral ischemia, but it's also valuable for brain tumors, abscesses, and white matter disorders.

Purpose of the Study:

• To comprehensively review the practical applications of DW-MRI in diagnosing and treating primary brain tumors, metastases, and nonmetastatic neurologic complications of cancer.
• To highlight DW-MRI's role in preoperative planning and intraoperative guidance through subcortical white matter tract mapping.

Main Methods:

• A comprehensive literature search was conducted on the PubMed database.
• Search terms included diffusion-weighted imaging, apparent diffusion coefficient, diffusion tensor imaging, brain, tumor, glioblastoma, lymphoma, stroke, cancer, abscess, and chemotherapy agents.
• Original articles and case reports from the past 10 years, along with highly regarded older publications, were selected.

Main Results:

• DW-MRI is crucial for assessing tumor cellularity and grade.
• It aids in differentiating various brain pathologies, including cytotoxic edema, abscesses, and white matter diseases.
• Applications extend to mapping white matter tracts for surgical planning.

Conclusions:

• DW-MRI is an indispensable tool in neuro-oncology and the management of neurological complications in cancer patients.
• Its ability to assess tissue microstructure offers significant diagnostic and therapeutic benefits.
• Further research continues to expand the utility of DW-MRI in clinical practice.