Background: Susceptibility weighted imaging and assessment of intratumoral susceptibility signal (ITSS) morphology is used to identify high-grade glioma (HGG) in patients with suspected brain neoplasm.
Purpose: The aim of this study was to outline variations in ITSS-morphology and their relationship to location as well as volume of the lesion in patients with glioblastoma (GB).
Materials and methods: Contrast-enhanced SWI (CE-SWI) images of 40 patients with histologically confirmed GB were analyzed retrospectively with particular attention to ITSS-morphology dividing all lesions into two groups. Considering the location of the lesion within brain parenchyma, lesions with and without involvement of the subventricular zone (SVZ+/SVZ-) were discerned. Additionally, the contrast-enhancing tumor volume was evaluated. Statistical analysis was based on a classification analysis resulting in a classification rule (tree) as well as Mann-Whitney-U test.
Results: The distribution of ITSS-scores showed differences between the SVZ+ and SVZ- groups. While SVZ-GB showed only fine-linear or dot-like ITSS, in SVZ+ GB the ITSS-morphology changed with the tumor volume, that is, in larger tumors dense and conglomerated ITSS were the predominant finding.
Conclusion: Our findings indicate that ITSS-morphology is not a random phenomenon. Location of GB, as well as tumor volume, appear to be factors contributing to ITSS morphology.
Keywords: Susceptibility weighted imaging; glioblastoma; intratumoral susceptibility; magnetic resonance imaging; signals.
Copyright © 2015 by the American Society of Neuroimaging.