Tumor habitat analysis by magnetic resonance imaging distinguishes tumor progression from radiation necrosis in brain metastases after stereotactic radiosurgery

Objectives The identification of viable tumor after stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) is important for future targeted therapy. This study aimed to determine whether tumor habitat on structural and physiologic MRI can distinguish viable tumor from radiation necrosis of brain metastases after SRS. Method Multiparametric contrast-enhanced T1- and T2-weighted imaging, apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC), and cerebral blood volume (CBV) were obtained from 52 patients with 69 metastases, showing enlarging enhancing masses after SRS. Voxel-wise clustering identified three structural MRI habitats (enhancing, solid low-enhancing, and nonviable) and three physiologic MRI habitats (hypervascular cellular, hypovascular cellular, and nonviable). Habitat-based predictors for viable tumor or radiation necrosis were identified by logistic regression. Performance was validated using the area under the curve (AUC) of the receiver operating characteristics curve in an independent dataset with 24 patients. Results None of the physiologic MRI habitats was indicative of viable tumor. Viable tumor was predicted by a high-volume fraction of solid low-enhancing habitat (low T2-weighted and low CE-T1-weighted values; odds ratio [OR] 1.74, p <.001) and a low-volume fraction of nonviable tissue habitat (high T2-weighted and low CE-T1-weighted values; OR 0.55, p <.001). Combined structural MRI habitats yielded good discriminatory ability in both development (AUC 0.85, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.77-0.94) and validation sets (AUC 0.86, 95% CI:0.70-0.99), outperforming single ADC (AUC 0.64) and CBV (AUC 0.58) values. The site of progression matched with the solid low-enhancing habitat (72%, 8/11). Conclusion Solid low-enhancing and nonviable tissue habitats on structural MRI can help to localize viable tumor in patients with brain metastases after SRS.

Automated summary

The study showed that solid low-enhancing and nonviable tissue habitats on structural MRI can help localize viable tumors in patients with brain metastases after SRS. Physiologic MRI habitats were not indicative of viable tumors. These findings suggest that structural MRI may be more useful in distinguishing viable tumor from radiation necrosis.