View article

Brain cells require a continuous and adequate supply of oxygen for optimal functioning; however, this balance is disrupted in the presence of brain tumors. The rapid growth of these tumors exceeds the capacity of the existing blood vessels, leading to areas of hypoxia. This condition contributes to accelerated tumor growth and diminishes the effectiveness of treatments. Utilizing MRI to non-invasively map hypoxia in the brain enables doctors to tailor treatment plans more effectively and to understand the tumor’s level of aggressiveness. In this study, we investigated the efficacy of a new MRI method, streamlined quantitative blood-oxygen-level-dependent (sqBOLD) MRI, in mapping hypoxia across different brain tumor types. Moreover, we utilize MRI to examine the vascular features of the tumors, aiming to elucidate the dynamics of oxygen delivery. In addition, this study includes microscopic evaluations of tumor biopsies, providing valuable insights into the hypoxic environments within the tumors.

Cerebral hypoxia significantly impacts the progression of brain tumors and their resistance to radiotherapy. This study employed streamlined quantitative blood-oxygen-level-dependent (sqBOLD) MRI to assess the oxygen extraction fraction (OEF)—a measure of how much oxygen is being extracted from vessels, with higher OEF values indicating hypoxia. Simultaneously, we utilized vessel size imaging (VSI) to evaluate microvascular dimensions and blood volume. A cohort of ten patients, divided between those with glioma and those with brain metastases, underwent a 3 Tesla MRI scan. We …