Development and Validation of Advanced MRI Methods for Clinical Applications

A critical aspect of brain tumor patient management is the radiographic assessment of tumor status, which is used for diagnosis, localization, surgical planning and surveillance. The primary goal is to develop and apply advanced, quantitative magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) techniques that can supplement existing high-resolution anatomic imaging to aid clinical decision-making for patients diagnosed with brain tumors. The studies proposed herein involve the development of advanced imaging methods that are intrinsically sensitive to the biophysical characteristics associated with tumor pathogenesis, as they are more likely to improve tumor characterization and localization and may offer early and more specific indicators of treatment response. These advanced methods include diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI), chemical exchange saturation transfer (CEST), and dynamic susceptibility contrast (DSC) perfusion MRI. A secondary objective of this study is to validate cerebral blood volume (CBV) metrics acquired using a DSC acquisition and post-processing methods by comparison with an intravascular reference standard contrast agent. Validated perfusion imaging techniques will improve the reliability and relevancy of derived CBV metrics across a range of clinical applications, including tumor localization, treatment guidance, therapy response assessment, surgical and biopsy guidance, and multi-site clinical trials of conventional and targeted brain tumor therapies.