MR Fingerprinting—A Radiogenomic Marker for Diffuse Gliomas

Abstract

(1) Background: Advanced MR imaging (MRI) of brain tumors is mainly based on qualitative contrast images. MR Fingerprinting (MRF) offers a novel approach. The purpose of this study was to use MRF-derived T1 and T2 relaxation maps to differentiate diffuse gliomas according to isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDH) mutation. (2) Methods: Twenty-four patients with histologically verified diffuse gliomas (14 IDH-mutant, four 1p/19q-codeleted, 10 IDH-wildtype) were enrolled. MRF T1 and T2 relaxation times were compared to apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC), relative cerebral blood volume (rCBV) within solid tumor, peritumoral edema, and normal-appearing white matter (NAWM), using contrast-enhanced MRI, diffusion-, perfusion-, and susceptibility-weighted imaging. For perfusion imaging, a T2* weighted perfusion sequence with leakage correction was used. Correlations of MRF T1 and T2 times with two established conventional sequences for T1 and T2 mapping were assessed (a fast double inversion recovery-based MR sequence (‘MP2RAGE’) for T1 quantification and a multi-contrast spin echo-based sequence for T2 quantification). (3) Results: MRF T1 and T2 relaxation times were significantly higher in the IDH-mutant than in IDH-wildtype gliomas within the solid part of the tumor (p = 0.024 for MRF T1, p = 0.041 for MRF T2). MRF T1 and T2 relaxation times were significantly higher in the IDH-wildtype than in IDH-mutant gliomas within peritumoral edema less than or equal to 1cm adjacent to the tumor (p = 0.038 for MRF T1 mean, p = 0.010 for MRF T2 mean). In the solid part of the tumor, there was a high correlation between MRF and conventionally measured T1 and T2 values (r = 0.913, p < 0.001 for T1, r = 0.775, p < 0.001 for T2), as well as between MRF and ADC values (r = 0.813, p < 0.001 for T2, r = 0.697, p < 0.001 for T1). The correlation was weak between the MRF and rCBV values (r = −0.374, p = 0.005 for T2, r = −0.181, p = 0.181 for T1). (4) Conclusions: MRF enables fast, single-sequence based, multi-parametric, quantitative tissue characterization of diffuse gliomas and may have the potential to differentiate IDH-mutant from IDH-wildtype gliomas.

Correlation of T1- to T2-weighted signal intensity ratio with T1- and T2-relaxation time and IDH mutation status in glioma

“…Along with others, we have reported that the T1- and T2-relaxation properties of tumor tissue tightly correlate with the IDH mutation status of LrGGs 16 , 27 . These observations were obtained either by employing conventional MR relaxometry techniques 16 , 28 or by newly developed magnetic resonance fingerprinting technology 29 .…”

Advanced MR Techniques for Preoperative Glioma Characterization: Part 1

“…More recent studies have addressed the role of multi‐echo SE T2 mapping in IDH mutation status of adult LGGs and showed an increase in T2 in IDH‐mutant glioma compared to IDH‐wildtype glioma 109 . This was also observed in an MRF study, which showed an increase in T1 values in the solid component of IDH mutant glioma, compared to wildtype 112 . An example of these findings is displayed in Fig.…”

“…The MRF T1 map ( c ) and T2 map ( d ) are compared to FLAIR ( a ), T1w contrast‐enhanced MRI ( b ), an ADC map ( e ), and perfusion‐weighted imaging ( f ). Reproduced from Springer et al 2022 under CC license 112 …”

Neue Methoden in der Neuroradiologie: MR-Fingerprinting und synthetische Bildgebung

“…MRF-basierte T1- und T2-Relaxometrien konnten dabei bereits erfolgreich Tumorgrade und IDH-Status unterscheiden ( Abb. 6 ) 12 – und auch Parkinson erkrankte Patienten von Gesunden 13 . Das Besondere des MR-Fingerprinting ist, dass die Sequenzen zumindest in der Theorie „sensibilisiert“ werden können für Gewebeeigenschaften wie Perfusion und den Eiweißgehalt, wie er z.…”