Brain MRI morphometry for structural alterations in patients with glioma - A systematic review

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Radiology
• Oncology

Background:

• Glioma patients exhibit functional plasticity, recruiting contralateral hemisphere regions.
• Structural changes in the contralateral hemisphere of glioma patients remain unclear.
• A comprehensive comparison of existing studies on this topic is lacking.

Purpose of the Study:

• To summarize the methodology and findings of morphometric studies on the contralateral hemisphere in glioma patients before treatment.
• To discuss the potential neurobiological basis, methodological challenges, and future directions for research.

Main Methods:

• Systematic review of neuroimaging studies from four electronic databases.
• Inclusion of 16 studies from 2080 initially found articles.
• Analysis of voxel-based or surface-based morphometry in patients with various glioma types and grades.

Main Results:

• Contralateral grey matter volume changes varied, with studies reporting both increases and atrophy.
• Methodological issues were identified in the analyzed papers.
• Results highlight the complexity of structural adaptations in the contralateral hemisphere.

Conclusions:

• The contralateral hemisphere in glioma patients undergoes complex structural changes, including volume increase and atrophy, potentially as compensatory mechanisms.
• These changes are influenced by tumor location, grade, and individual patient factors.
• Further research is essential, addressing identified challenges and methodological issues.