Janine M. Lupo1, Soonmee Cha1,
Emma Essock-Burns1,2, Nicholas Butowski3, Sarah J.
Nelson1,2
1Department of Radiology and Biomedical
Imaging, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United
States; 2Department of Bioengineering and Therapeutic Sciences,
University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States; 3Department
of Neurosurgery, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA,
United States
This
study investigated whether the unique contrast provided by SWI, which
highlights heterogeneity within the post-gadolinium contrast enhancing brain
tumor lesion, can predict response to treatment. Nineteen patients with
newly-diagnosed GBM were imaged prior to beginning anti-angiogenic,
cytotoxic, and radiation therapy and followed until progression. The volume of SWI hypointense signal
within the contrast-enhancing lesion was dramatically higher in patients who
progressed after 1 year post-therapy compared to patients who progressed
within 6 months of initiating treatment. These findings suggest that SWI
could be advantageous for determining which patients would be the best
candidates for adjuvant anti-angiogenic therapeutic strategies.