MR-imaging for visualizing ingrowth of glioblastoma into surrounding white matter tracts

The thesis concerns glioblastoma, the most malignant brain tumour, which infiltrates surrounding white matter tracts. This infiltration cannot be seen on standard MRI; what clinicians see is a contrast-enhancing rim caused by leaking blood vessels and a necrotic tumour centre. Because of the infiltration, the tumour nearly always recurs despite radiation or surgical removal.

The research examined various MRI methods for better visualising tumour-cell infiltration into white matter. Diffusion and diffusion tensor MRI could not differentiate healthy from affected white matter. Ultra-high-field MRI gave promising results but still requires testing in live patients. A possible new contrast agent was tested in healthy participants to assess reproducibility in glioblastoma patients.