Brain metastases converge on shared geometric architecture and transcriptomic landscape yet remain distinct from...

Brain metastases (BMs) and gliomas arise from distinct biological origins yet frequently present with overlapping radiological features, particularly within peritumoral regions. By quantifying fractal dimension (FD_3D) and lacunarity (Lac_3D) across enhancing, non-enhancing, and edematous tumor subcomponents, we demonstrate that BMs from diverse primary cancers converge on a conserved structural phenotype within the brain-microenvironment, whereas gliomas retain distinct subcomponent complexity and geometric profiles. Enhancing subcomponents of BMs exhibited intermediate structural complexity between low- and high-grade gliomas (LGGs and HGGs), while non-enhancing and edematous compartments were structurally smoother. The integration of subcomponent complexity and volumetric fractions enabled accurate discrimination across independent imaging cohorts, and edema fractality uniquely predicted survival in BMs. Independent transcriptomic analyses revealed pathway-level convergence consistent with brain microenvironment-driven remodeling, yet molecular programs remained distinct from gliomas. These findings establish a quantitative neuroimaging-based geometric framework with clinical utility in neuro-oncology settings, reducing reliance on immediate biopsy for diagnostic and prognostic stratification.