# Establishing the validity of brain tumor perfusion imaging

> **NIH NIH R01** · ST. JOSEPH'S HOSPITAL AND MEDICAL CENTER · 2020 · $275,927

## Abstract

ABSTRACT
 The central goal of this proposal is to establish the accuracy of brain tumor perfusion imaging. Dynamic
susceptibility contrast (DSC) MRI is one of the most widely used advanced imaging techniques in neuro-
oncology. Multiple studies have shown how DSC-MRI measures of relative cerebral blood volume (rCBV) can
differentiate glioma grades, tumor types and identify tumor components in non-enhancing glioma distinguish
tumor recurrence from post-treatment effects, and predict tumoral response and patient survival after targeted
therapy. Despite DSC-MRI's potential impact on clinical care, its broad scale integration has been slow, in
large part from a lack of consensus about methodology and how to prevent potential rCBV inaccuracies.
Although DSC relies on the assumption that gadolinium-based contrast agents (GBCA) remain within the
vascular lumen, this condition is often violated in vivo. If not corrected for, contrast agent leakage effects lead
to rCBV inaccuracy, misdiagnosis, and potentially mistreatment. While numerous leakage correction strategies
exist, a fundamental limitation has prevented the standardization and wide-spread adoption of DSC-MRI
methodology: To date, no study has validated the accuracy of leakage corrected rCBV measures in patients.
The lack of validation impacts DSC-MRI standardization efforts, the establishment of rCBV thresholds for clinic
use, multi-site comparisons and clinical trials. Given the importance of rCBV accuracy we propose to address
this through two highly focused studies. First, we aim to validate rCBV accuracy by comparison to an
intravascular reference standard in high-grade glioma patients. Multiple acquisition and analysis techniques will
be investigated. Second, using a novel in silico digital phantom we aim to systematically define the range of
DSC-MRI protocols that maintain consistent rCBV measurements. Impact on Healthcare: Our primary
deliverable is to provide the neuro-oncology community with validated image acquisition and analysis methods
for accurate rCBV mapping in brain tumor patients. Validated DSC-MRI techniques will improve its clinical
reliability and justify its use across a range of clinical scenarios, including tumor localization, therapy response
assessment, surgical and biopsy guidance, and multi-site clinical trials of conventional and targeted brain
tumor therapies.
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## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9959360
- **Project number:** 5R01CA213158-04
- **Recipient organization:** ST. JOSEPH'S HOSPITAL AND MEDICAL CENTER
- **Principal Investigator:** Christopher Chad Quarles
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $275,927
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2017-07-01 → 2021-06-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9959360

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9959360, Establishing the validity of brain tumor perfusion imaging (5R01CA213158-04). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/9959360. Licensed CC0.

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