Image-Guided Stereotactic Biopsy of High Grade Gliomas

The purpose of this study is to evaluate high and low areas of growth, or proliferation, within the tumor. An imaging technique using a very small amount of a radioactive tracer called 18Ffluoro-deoxy-L-thymidine (18F-FLT) can detect areas of rapid growth within the tumor. This imaging technique is called a FLT PET imaging. This present study involves obtaining one scan using FLT PET imaging. The goal of this study is to investigate associations between the imaging findings showing differences in growth rate within the tumor and the biology of the tumor that is measured in the sampled tumor tissue. This information may be used in future brain tumor patients to determine the best combination of treatment for individual patients. These studies may also improve our understanding of the types of changes taking place in brain tumor tissue that could improve individual patient outcome. FLT is produced for human use by the MSKCC cyclotron facility under an investigational new drug (IND) approval issued by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). This means that FLT is produced under strict rules and regulations, is considered safe, and has been approved for use in humans for certain disease conditions. 18F-FLT has been used in several research studies to date at this institution.