Abstract
Background Glioblastoma exhibits profound intratumoral heterogeneity in blood perfusion, which may cause inconsistent therapy response. Particularly, low perfusion may create hypoxic microenvironment and induce resistant clones. Thus, developing validated imaging approaches that define low perfusion compartments is crucial for clinical management.
Methods A total of 112 newly-diagnosed supratentorial glioblastoma patients were prospectively recruited for maximal safe resection. Preoperative MRI included anatomical, dynamic susceptibility contrast (DSC), diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) and chemical shift imaging (CSI). The apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) and relative cerebral blood volume (rCBV) were calculated from DTI and DSC respectively. Using thresholding methods, two low perfusion compartments (ADCH-rCBVL and ADCL-rCBVL) were identified. Volumetric analysis was performed. Lactate and macromolecule/lipid levels were determined from multivoxel spectroscopy. Progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) were analysed using Kaplan-Meier and multivariate Cox regression analyses.
Results Two compartments displayed higher lactate and macromolecule/lipid levels than normal controls (each P < 0.001), suggesting hypoxic and pro-inflammatory microenvironment. The proportional volume of ADCL-rCBVL compartment was associated with a larger infiltration area (P < 0.001, rho = 0.42). Lower lactate in this compartment was associated with a less invasive phenotype visualized on DTI. Multivariate Cox regression showed higher lactate level in the ADCL-rCBVL compartment was associated with a worse survival (PFS: HR 2.995, P = 0.047; OS: HR 4.974, P = 0.005).
Conclusions The ADCL-rCBVL compartment represent a treatment resistant sub-region associated with glioblastoma invasiveness. This approach was based on clinically available imaging modalities and could thus provide crucial pretreatment information for clinical decision making.
Footnotes
Funding This study was funded by a National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Clinician Scientist Fellowship (SJP, project reference NIHR/CS/009/011); CRUK core grant C14303/A17197 and A19274 (FM lab); Cambridge Trust and China Scholarship Council (CL & SW); the Chang Gung Medical Foundation and Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Keelung, Taiwan (JLY); CRUK & EPSRC Cancer Imaging Centre in Cambridge & Manchester (FM & TT, grant C197/A16465); NIHR Cambridge Biomedical Research Centre (TM & SJP).
Conflict of Interest: none