pH-Weighted amine chemical exchange saturation transfer echo planar imaging visualizes infiltrating glioblastoma cells

Background. Given the invasive nature of glioblastoma, tumor cells exist beyond the contrast-enhancing (CE) region targeted during treatment. However, areas of non-enhancing (NE) tumors are difficult to visualize and delineate from edematous tissue. Amine chemical exchange saturation transfer echo planar imaging (CEST-EPI) is a pH-sensitive molecular magnetic resonance imaging technique that was evaluated in its ability to identify infiltrating NE tumors and prognosticate survival. Methods. In this prospective study, CEST-EPI was obtained in 30 patients and areas with elevated CEST contrast ('' CEST+'' based on the asymmetry in magnetization transfer ratio: MTRasym at 3 ppm) within NE regions were quantitated. Median MTRasym at 3 ppm and volume of CEST + NE regions were correlated with progression-free survival (PFS). In 20 samples from 14 patients, image-guided biopsies of these areas were obtained to correlate MTRasym at 3 ppm to tumor and non-tumor cell burden using immunohistochemistry. Results. In 15 newly diagnosed and 15 recurrent glioblastoma, higher median MTRasym at 3ppm within CEST + NE regions (P =.007; P =.0326) and higher volumes of CEST + NE tumor (P =.020; P <.001) were associated with decreased PFS. CE recurrence occurred in areas of preoperative CEST + NE regions in 95.4% of patients. MTRasym at 3 ppm was correlated with presence of tumor, cell density, %Ki-67 positivity, and %CD31 positivity (P =.001; P <.001; P <.001; P =.001). Conclusions. pH-weighted amine CEST-EPI allows for visualization of NE tumor, likely through surrounding acidification of the tumor microenvironment. The magnitude and volume of CEST + NE tumor correlates with tumor cell density, degree of proliferating or '' active '' tumor, and PFS.

Automated summary

This study evaluated the use of amine chemical exchange saturation transfer echo planar imaging (CEST-EPI) for the diagnosis and prognostication of glioblastoma. The results showed that CEST-EPI can visualize non-enhancing (NE) tumor regions and is correlated with tumor cell density, degree of proliferation, and progression-free survival (PFS).