Contrast-Enhanced T1-Weighted Digital Subtraction for Increased Lesion Conspicuity and Quantifying Treatment Response in Malignant Gliomas

Abstract

Contrast enhancement is the gold standard for quantifying malignant glioma tumor burden and therapeutic response assessment. However, assessment of contrast-enhancing tumor burden can be challenging in the presence of T1 shortening from postsurgical blood products or treatments or use of therapies that alter vascular permeability. Contrast-enhanced T1-weighted digital subtraction is a quick and simple technique for increasing lesion conspicuity even in the presence of blood products and inflammation and during antiangiogenic therapies that do not increase scan time or require specialized MRI pulse sequences. This results in improved stratification of survival in patients with malignant glioma.