Meeting Banner
Abstract #0253

Characterization of Microbleed Formation from Normal Brain Microvasculature After Radiation Therapy

Janine M. Lupo1, Susan M. Chang2, Soonmee Cha1,2, Sarah J. Nelson1,3

1Department of Radiology & Biomedical Imaging, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA; 2Department of Neurological Surgery, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA; 3Department of Bioengineering & Therapeutic Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA


Although a mainstay in the standard-of-care for malignant gliomas, the potential effects of radiation therapy on normal brain tissue and quality-of-life is not well characterized. This study uses SWI to evaluate the evolution of microbleeds in normal-appearing brain due to radiation therapy in 12 glioma patients, 6 of who received concurrent anti-angiogenic therapy. Microbleed counts were found to increase linearly as a function of time since receiving radiation, with the rate of microbleed formation escalating after 2 years. The addition of an anti-angiogenic agent appeared to stall this processes. Microbleed size varied both within and across patients with time.