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Paediatric supratentorial tumours do not cause microstructural alterations in contralateral white matter: a
Barış Genç1, Semra Delibalta2, Kerim Aslan3
1Department of Radiology, Samsun Education and Research Hospital, İlkadım, Samsun, 55060, Turkey. barisgenc12@gmail.com.
Insights
Pediatric brain tumors do not alter white matter microstructure in unaffected brain regions. This study found no significant diffusion changes in contralateral normal-appearing white matter (NAWM) in children with intracranial masses.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric neuro-oncology
- Neuroimaging
- White matter microstructure
Background:
- Intracranial tumors in children differ from adult presentations.
- Understanding microstructural changes in normal-appearing white matter (NAWM) is crucial for pediatric treatment optimization.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) changes in contralateral NAWM in pediatric patients with primary intracranial masses.
- To utilize fully automated methods and deep learning algorithms for analyzing diffusion changes.
Main Methods:
- Included 22 pediatric patients with primary supratentorial intracranial masses.
- Compared ADC values of contralateral NAWM between patient and control groups.
- Employed deep learning algorithms for diffusion analysis.
Main Results:
- Mean ADC values in the patient group (0.80 × 10⁻³ mm²/s) were not significantly different from the control group (0.81 × 10⁻³ mm²/s).
- No statistically significant diffusion changes were observed in the contralateral white matter (p=0.39).
Conclusions:
- Primary supratentorial intracranial masses in children do not induce microstructural changes in contralateral NAWM.
- This may be due to the less infiltrative nature and distinct biochemical profile of pediatric tumors.
- Further research with advanced imaging is recommended for improved patient management.
Background And Purpose:
Intracranial tumours in children can exhibit different characteristics compared to those in adults. Understanding the microstructural changes in the contralateral normal-appearing white matter (NAWM) in children with primary intracranial masses is essential for optimizing treatment strategies. This study aimed to investigate the apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) changes in contralateral NAWM using fully automated methods and deep learning algorithms.
Methods:
We included 22 paediatric patients with primary supratentorial intracranial masses (23% high-grade) in the study. ADC values of the contralateral NAWM in the patient group were compared to those of a control group. Deep learning algorithms were utilized to analyse diffusion changes in NAWM.
Results:
The mean ADC values of contralateral NAWM in the patient group were 0.80 ± 0.03 × 10-3 mm2/s, while the control group had a mean ADC value of 0.81 ± 0.03 × 10-3 mm2/s. There was no statistically significant difference between the groups (p = 0.39). Our findings indicate that there are no significant diffusion changes in the contralateral white matter of children with supratentorial intracranial masses.
Conclusion:
Primary supratentorial intracranial masses in children do not cause microstructural changes in contralateral normal-appearing white matter. This could be attributed to the less infiltrative nature and different biochemical profile of these tumour groups in the paediatric population. Further studies using advanced imaging techniques could provide additional insights into the distinct characteristics of paediatric intracranial tumours and improve patient management.
