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This is the published version of a paper published in Acta Radiologica Open.
Citation for the original published paper (version of record):
Fahlström, M., Fransson, S., Blomquist, E., Nyholm, T., Larsson, E-M. (2018)
Dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging may act as a biomarker for vascular damage in normal appearing brain tissue after radiotherapy in patients with glioblastoma
Acta Radiologica Open, 7(11): 2058460118808811 https://doi.org/10.1177/2058460118808811
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Dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging may act as a
biomarker for vascular damage in normal appearing brain tissue after radiotherapy in patients with glioblastoma
Markus Fahlstr €om 1 , Samuel Fransson 1 , Erik Blomquist 2 , Tufve Nyholm 3 and Elna-Marie Larsson 1
Abstract
Background: Dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (DCE-MRI) is a promising perfusion method and may be useful in evaluating radiation-induced changes in normal-appearing brain tissue.
Purpose: To assess whether radiotherapy induces changes in vascular permeability (K trans ) and the fractional volume of the extravascular extracellular space (V e ) derived from DCE-MRI in normal-appearing brain tissue and possible relation- ships to radiation dose given.
Material and Methods: Seventeen patients with glioblastoma treated with radiotherapy and chemotherapy were included; five were excluded because of inconsistencies in the radiotherapy protocol or early drop-out. DCE-MRI, contrast-enhanced three-dimensional (3D) T1-weighted (T1W) images and T2-weighted fluid attenuated inversion recovery (T2-FLAIR) images were acquired before and on average 3.3, 30.6, 101.6, and 185.7 days after radiotherapy.
Pre-radiotherapy CE T1W and T2-FLAIR images were segmented into white and gray matter, excluding all non-healthy tissue. K trans and V e were calculated using the extended Kety model with the Parker population-based arterial input function. Six radiation dose regions were created for each tissue type, based on each patient’s computed tomography- based dose plan. Mean K trans and V e were calculated over each dose region and tissue type.
Results: Global K trans and V e demonstrated mostly non-significant changes with mean values higher for post- radiotherapy examinations in both gray and white matter compared to pre-radiotherapy. No relationship to radiation dose was found.
Conclusion: Additional studies are needed to validate if K trans and V e derived from DCE-MRI may act as potential biomarkers for acute and early-delayed radiation-induced vascular damages. No dose-response relationship was found.
Keywords
Dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging, DCE-MRI, radiation therapy/oncology, radiation effects, normal-appearing brain tissue, glioblastoma
Received 26 August 2018; accepted 25 September 2018
Introduction
The vascular hypothesis of late delayed radiation- induced brain injury argues that white matter necrosis is secondary to vascular damage and ischaemia (1).
Vascular damage, such as vessel wall thickening, vessel dilation, and especially reduction of vascular endothelial cell density and blood–brain barrier (BBB) damage after radiation exposure, has been described previously (1–5),
1
Department of Radiology, Surgical Sciences, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
2
Department of Experimental and Clinical Oncology, Immunology, Genetics and Pathology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
3