Artificial intelligence in glioma research: a bibliometric analysis of global trends, hotspots, and future directions

Gliomas are the most common malignant primary brain tumors in adults and remain one of the greatest therapeutic challenges due to their infiltrative growth, molecular heterogeneity, and poor prognosis. With the rapid development of artificial intelligence (AI), increasing efforts have been made to apply AI tools across different stages of glioma research and clinical care.

This study aims to provide a comprehensive bibliometric analysis of global research activity at the intersection of AI and gliomas, identifying leading contributors, emerging hotspots, and temporal trends.

We systematically identified relevant publications from the past decade (January 2016 to June 2025) through searches of Web of Science, PubMed, and Scopus. The retrieved records underwent a rigorous de-duplication process and manual validation to ensure data integrity. Key bibliometric indicators were then extracted and analyzed using CiteSpace, Bibliometrix, and VOSviewer to evaluate publication growth trajectories, contributions by countries and institutions, journal co-citation networks, author influence, keyword evolution, and emerging research frontiers.

A total of 16,656 unique publications were identified, exceeding earlier bibliometric estimates. The cumulative number of publications exhibited exponential growth (R ² = 0.99). China emerged as the most productive country, with significant contributions from leading institutions worldwide. Co-citation and keyword analyses revealed strong clustering around research themes such as tumor microenvironment, molecular profiling, machine learning, radiomics, and microphysiological systems, reflecting the expanding role of AI in precision diagnosis, prognostication, and treatment optimization.

AI has become increasingly integrated into glioma research, complementing traditional diagnostic and therapeutic strategies. By highlighting global research patterns and emerging topics, this study provides valuable insights into the evolving landscape of AI applications in gliomas and suggests future directions for clinical translation.