CBV- vs PSR- optimized MR-DSC-Perfusion sequences for presurgical diagnosis of brain tumors: from demytification to synergy
Author Block: C. García1, I. MARTINEZ-ZALACAIN2, P. Naval-Baudin2, A. Camins Simó2, A. Jareño Badenos2, M. Cos Domingo2, C. Majós2, A. Pons Escoda2; 1Murcia/ES, 2Hospitalet de Llobregat/ES
Purpose: To compare the diagnostic performance of CBV- and PSR-optimized sequences in the presurgical differentiation of glioblastoma, brain-metastasis, lymphoma, and meningioma, and to assess the additive value of combining both metrics within and across the sequences.
Methods or Background: Retrospective single-center cohort: glioblastoma (n=121), metastasis (n=63), meningioma (n=55), lymphoma (n=13). Each patient underwent two consecutive DSC-acquisitions within the same MR-session: 1st- non-preloaded, high flip-angle (PSR-optimized); and 2nd- full-dose preloaded (using prior contrast), intermediate flip-angle (CBV-optimized, standardized, consensus-compliant). From enhancing tumor masks (plus edema masks for glioblastoma vs. metastasis), we extracted rCBV (NAWM-normalized, leakage-corrected) and PSR statistics. For each tumor-pair we identified the best single-acquisition metric, and trained bivariate logistic models to combine CBV and PSR both within and across both protocols.
Results or Findings: Single-metric AUCs for the 1st DSC-sequence ranged 0.72 (Gb_vs_Metastasis, nrCBVmin_edema)- 0.91 (Meningioma_vs_Lymphoma, PSRp75), average AUC=0.79. For the 2nd, AUCs ranged 0.72 (Gb_vs_Metastasis, PSRmax_edema)- 0.89 (Meningioma_vs_Lymphoma, nrCBV_p75), average AUC=0.80. Overall, CBV and PSR were the best metrics in 50% of comparisons each. Selecting the best-performing protocol per tumor-pair increased average AUC to 0.82. The bivariate intraprotocol models combining nrCBV+PSR in the 1st DSC AUCs ranged 0.76 (Gb_vs_Metastasis, PSRmean_edema+nrCBVmin_edema)- 0.94 (Meningioma_vs_Lymphoma, PSRp75+nrCBVp75), average AUC=0.85. In the 2nd DSC AUCs ranged 0.76 (Gb_vs_Metastasis, PSRmax_edema+nrCBVmax_edema)- 0.93 (Meningioma_vs_Lymphoma, PSRp75+nrCBVp75), average AUC=0.83 The bivariate cross-protocols models combining nrCBV+PSR AUCs ranged 0.8 (Gb_vs_Metastasis, PSRmin_enhancing_2nd+PSR_mean_edema_1st) to 0.94 (Meningioma_vs_Lymphoma, PSRp75_2nd+nrCBVp75_1st), average AUC=0.87.
Conclusion: Both sequences performed similarly in pairwise tumor classification, with CBV and PSR showing no clear predominance in either acquisition. Within each protocol, models combining CBV and PSR outperformed single-metric approaches, with optimal performance achieved when integrating both protocols. Our findings indicate that implementing the dual-DSC protocol in clinical practice could maximize the accuracy of presurgical diagnosis.
Limitations: Single-centre, retrospective design.
Funding for this study: No funding was received for this study.
Has your study been approved by an ethics committee? Yes
Ethics committee - additional information: The study was approved by the Research Ethics Committee of Hospital Universitari de Bellvitge.