Imaging Techniques for Brain Tumor Diagnosis and Treatment Monitoring

Accurate characterisation of brain tumours relies on a spectrum of imaging approaches that together inform diagnosis, guide therapy and assess response. Conventional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) remains the cornerstone for lesion localisation and anatomical delineation, with contrast‐enhanced sequences highlighting disruption of the blood–brain barrier. Advanced MRI methods—such as perfusion‐weighted imaging (PWI), diffusion‐weighted imaging (DWI), MR spectroscopy (MRS) and chemical exchange saturation transfer (CEST)—provide insights into tumour vascularity, cellularity and metabolic microenvironment. Positron emission tomography (PET), using amino acid or glucose analogues, furnishes complementary information on tumour metabolism and viability, enabling differentiation between active disease and treatment‐induced changes. Hybrid PET/MRI systems allow simultaneous acquisition of structural and functional data, improving spatial co-registration and reducing patient burden. Radiomics and machine-learning frameworks extract high-dimensional features from imaging datasets to predict tumour grade, molecular subtype and likelihood of recurrence. Collectively, these modalities support personalised management by discriminating residual tumour from radiation necrosis, optimising surgical planning, monitoring therapy response and informing prognostic stratification.

Research from Nature Portfolio

No recent Nature Portfolio content available.

Imaging Techniques for Brain Tumor Diagnosis and Treatment Monitoring publication trend

The graph below shows the total number of articles in imaging techniques for brain tumor diagnosis and treatment monitoring across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).

Technical terms

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI): A non-invasive method using magnetic fields to generate high-resolution images of brain anatomy.

Positron emission tomography (PET): A nuclear imaging technique that tracks radiotracer distribution to reveal metabolic and molecular activity.

Perfusion-weighted imaging (PWI): An MRI technique measuring cerebral blood flow and volume to assess tumour vascularity.

Diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI): An MRI sequence that quantifies the movement of water molecules, reflecting tissue cellularity and integrity.

Radiomics: The extraction of large numbers of quantitative features from medical images to characterise tumour phenotype and support predictive modelling.

References

1. Advances in Neuro-Oncological Imaging: An Update on Diagnostic Approach to Brain Tumors. Cancers (2024).
2. Hybrid Positron Emission Tomography and Magnetic Resonance Imaging Guided Microsurgical Management of Glial Tumors: Case Series and Review of the Literature. Diagnostics (2024).
3. Advanced imaging techniques for neuro-oncologic tumor diagnosis, with an emphasis on PET-MRI imaging of malignant brain tumors. Current Oncology Reports (2021).
4. Individualized discrimination of tumor recurrence from radiation necrosis in glioma patients using an integrated radiomics-based model. European Journal of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging (2019).