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Abstract #3624

Diffusion MRI characterization of Proton-therapy-induced brain tissue changes: a case study

Lisa Novello1, Nivedita Agarwal1,2,3, Stefano Lorentini2, Sabina Vennarini2, Domenico Zacà1, Ofer Pasternak4, and Jorge Jovicich1

1CIMeC - Center for Mind/Brain Sciences, University of Trento, Trento, Italy, 2Proton-Therapy Unit, S. Chiara Hospital, APSS, Azienda Provinciale per i Servizi Sanitari, Trento, Trento, Italy, 3Radiology Unit, Santa Maria del Carmine Hospital, Rovereto (Trento), Italy, 4Departments of Psychiatry and Radiology, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States

Radiotherapy-induced neurotoxicity may be life threatening and its characterization is crucial for cancer treatment management, especially in early treatment phases. Diffusion MRI allows to assess non-invasively microstructural changes occurring with radiation treatment, which are of interest in relation to local absorbed dose and cognitive changes. Proton therapy (PT) offers the promise of more focal tumor damage relative to conventional radiotherapy. However, few studies have evaluated how it affects brain microstructure. As part of an ongoing longitudinal study, we present the first available data of 5 acquisitions along PT course showing a possible treatment-related “necrosis-like” effect during treatment.

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