Standardized brain tumor imaging protocols for clinical trials: current recommendations and tips for integration

Area of Science:

• Radiology
• Oncology
• Clinical Trials

Background:

• Standardized MRI acquisition protocols are vital for reducing variability in brain tumor clinical trials.
• Ensuring high image quality while meeting diverse institutional requirements presents a key challenge.
• Consensus groups have developed brain tumor imaging protocols (BTIPs) for gliomas, brain metastases, and primary central nervous system lymphomas.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the concepts behind current recommended BTIPs for brain tumors.
• To provide a comparative overview of existing BTIPs.
• To discuss the integration of additional MRI sequences with BTIPs for clinical trials.

Main Methods:

• Literature review of consensus-driven brain tumor imaging protocols.
• Comparative analysis of "ideal" and "minimum requirements" BTIPs.
• Discussion of strategies for integrating supplementary MRI sequences.

Main Results:

• Established BTIPs aim to standardize MRI for gliomas, brain metastases, and primary central nervous system lymphomas.
• Flexibility exists to incorporate additional sequences for clinical management alongside standardized protocols.
• Guidance is provided on balancing protocol standardization with the addition of site-specific sequences.

Conclusions:

• Standardized BTIPs are essential for reliable response assessment in brain tumor clinical trials.
• Integrating additional MRI sequences requires careful consideration to maintain protocol integrity.
• Future directions in brain tumor imaging for clinical trials warrant further investigation.