Role of Neuroimaging in Cancer-Treatment Neurotoxicity

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Neurology
• Radiology
• Neuroscience

Background:

• Evolving cancer therapies, particularly targeted treatments, introduce a growing spectrum of neurotoxicities.
• Accurate diagnosis of these neurotoxicities is critical to differentiate them from disease progression or other neurological conditions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review neurotoxic complications associated with current and emerging cancer therapies.
• To emphasize the role of neuroimaging in detecting and differentiating treatment-related neurotoxicity.

Main Methods:

• Review of neurotoxic complications from common and novel cancer therapies.
• Discussion of advanced imaging techniques including perfusion MRI, vessel wall imaging, and amino acid PET.
• Integration of oncology, neurology, and imaging perspectives.

Main Results:

• Neuroimaging is vital for diagnosing neurotoxicity syndromes like neurologic immune-related adverse events, immune effector cell-associated neurotoxicity syndrome, and tumor inflammation-associated neurotoxicity.
• Advanced imaging techniques enhance diagnostic accuracy and guide clinical decision-making.
• Characteristic imaging patterns aid radiologists in identifying emerging neurotoxicity syndromes.

Conclusions:

• A multidisciplinary approach is essential for managing cancer treatment-related neurotoxicity.
• Early recognition and intervention through neuroimaging are crucial for preventing long-term disability or death.
• Radiologists play a key role in supporting safe, patient-centered cancer care by identifying neurotoxicity.