The T1/T2 Ratio is Associated With Resectability in Patients With Isocitrate Dehydrogenase-Mutant Astrocytomas Central Nervous System World Health Organization Grades 2 and 3.

Background And Objectives: Isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDH)-mutant astrocytomas central nervous system World Health Organization grade 2 and 3 show heterogeneous appearance on MRI. In the premolecular era, the discrepancy between T1 hypointense and T2 hyperintense tumor volume in absolute values has been proposed as a marker for diffuse tumor growth. We set out to investigate if a ratio of T1 to T2 tumor volume (T1/T2 ratio) is associated with resectability and overall survival (OS) in patients with IDH-mutant astrocytomas.

Long-term outcome of surgically treated and conservatively managed Rathke cleft cysts.

Objective: Rathke cleft cysts (RCC) are benign lesions of the sellar region that require surgical treatment in case of visual deterioration or progression of the cyst. However, the natural course is often stable and asymptomatic. We aimed to investigate the characteristics of patients with cyst progression during follow-up (FU) and to compare the natural history of patients with RCC with patients who underwent surgery.

Efficacy and safety of cysto-ventricular catheter implantation for space-occupying cysts arising from glioma and brain metastasis: a retrospective study.

Background: Cysto-ventricular catheters (CVC) have emerged as promising treatment option for cystic craniopharyngioma and arachnoid cysts, but their effectiveness in treating cysts originating from glioma or brain metastasis (BM) remains limited. This study aimed to analyze the efficacy of CVC in patients with glioma and BM as well as procedure-associated morbidity.

Methods: This single-center retrospective study included all patients treated with CVC placement for acquired space-occupying cysts deriving from previously treated glioma or BMs between 1/2010 and 12/2021.

Accuracy, Hemorrhagic Complications and CT Radiation Dose of Emergency External Ventricular Drain (EVD) Placement in Pediatric Patients: A 15-Year Retrospective Analysis.

Purpose: To assess accuracy, the frequency of hemorrhagic complications and computed tomography (CT) radiation dose parameters in pediatric patients undergoing landmark-guided external ventricular drain (EVD) placement in an emergency setting.

Methods: Retrospective analysis comprised 36 EVD placements with subsequent CT control scans in 29 patients (aged 0 to 17 years) in our university hospital from 2008 to 2022. The position of the EVD as well as the presence and extension of bleeding were classified according to previously established grading schemes.

Nuclear translocation of beta catenin in patients with Rathke cleft cysts-clinical and imaging characteristics and risk of recurrence.

Purpose: Although Rathke cleft cysts (RCC) are benign lesions of the sellar region, recurrence is frequent after surgical treatment. Nuclear translocation of ß-catenin (NTßC), a key effector of the wnt-signaling pathway that is responsible for cell renewal, has been shown to act as a proto-oncogene and is considered to be a potential risk factor for increased recurrence in RCC. In this study, we analyzed a surgically treated cohort into patients with and without NTßC expression in order to identify clinical and imaging differences and further evaluate the risk of recurrence.

Treatment benefit in patients aged 80 years or older with biopsy-proven and non-resected glioblastoma is dependent on MGMT promoter methylation status.

Purpose: Glioblastoma is associated with especially poor outcome in the elderly. It is unclear if patients aged ≥80 years benefit from tumor-specific therapy as opposed to receiving best supportive care (BSC) only.

Methods: Patients with IDH-wildtype glioblastoma (WHO 2021), aged ≥80 years, and diagnosed by biopsy between 2010 and 2022 were included.

Significance of molecular diagnostics for therapeutic decision-making in recurrent glioma.

Background: Targeted therapies have substantially improved survival in cancer patients with malignancies outside the brain. Whether in-depth analysis for molecular alterations may also offer therapeutic avenues in primary brain tumors remains unclear. We herein present our institutional experience for glioma patients discussed in our interdisciplinary (MTB) implemented at the Comprehensive Cancer Center Munich (LMU).

Dorsal column mapping in resection of intramedullary spinal cord tumors: a prospective comparison of two methods and neurological follow-up.

Purpose: In surgery for intramedullary spinal cord tumors (imSCT), distortion of the anatomy challenges the visual identification of dorsal columns (DC) for midline myelotomy. Dorsal column mapping (DCM) and spinal cord stimulation (SCS) can identify DC neurophysiologically. We compare application and feasibility of both methods.

The value of stereotactic biopsy of primary and recurrent brain metastases in the era of precision medicine.

Background: Brain metastases (BM) represent the most frequent intracranial tumors with increasing incidence. Many primary tumors are currently treated in protocols that incorporate targeted therapies either upfront or for progressive metastatic disease. Hence, molecular markers are gaining increasing importance in the diagnostic framework of BM.

TSPO PET signal using [F]GE180 is associated with survival in recurrent gliomas.

Purpose: Glioma patients, especially recurrent glioma, suffer from a poor prognosis. While advances to classify glioma on a molecular level improved prognostication at initial diagnosis, markers to prognosticate survival in the recurrent situation are still needed. As 18 kDa translocator protein (TSPO) was previously reported to be associated with aggressive histopathological glioma features, we correlated the TSPO positron emission tomography (PET) signal using [F]GE180 in a large cohort of recurrent glioma patients with their clinical outcome.

Limited efficacy of temozolomide alone for astrocytoma, IDH-mutant, CNS WHO grades 2 or 3.

Purpose: The role of temozolomide chemotherapy alone in isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDH)-mutant astrocytomas has not been conclusively determined. Radiotherapy might be superior to temozolomide. Recent studies have linked temozolomide with induction of hypermutation and poor clinical course in some IDH-mutant gliomas.

Diagnostic Yield and Complication Rate of Stereotactic Biopsies in Precision Medicine of Gliomas.

Background: An integrated diagnosis consisting of histology and molecular markers is the basis of the current WHO classification system of gliomas. In patients with suspected newly diagnosed or recurrent glioma, stereotactic biopsy is an alternative in cases in which microsurgical resection is deemed to not be safely feasible or indicated. In this retrospective study, we aimed to analyze both the diagnostic yield and the safety of a standardized biopsy technique.

Extent, pattern, and prognostic value of MGMT promotor methylation: does it differ between glioblastoma and IDH-wildtype/TERT-mutated astrocytoma?

Introduction: The cIMPACT-NOW update 6 first introduced glioblastoma diagnosis based on the combination of IDH-wildtype (IDHwt) status and TERT promotor mutation (pTERTmut). In glioblastoma as defined by histopathology according to the WHO 2016 classification, MGMT promotor status is associated with outcome. Whether this is also true in glioblastoma defined by molecular markers is yet unclear.

Subventricular zone involvement is associated with worse outcome in glioma WHO grade 2 depending on molecular markers.

Neural stem cells within the subventricular zone were identified as cells of origin driving growth of high-grade gliomas, and anatomical involvement of the subventricular zone has been associated with an inferior clinical outcome. Whether the association between poor outcome and subventricular zone involvement also applies to glioma of lower grades is unclear. We therefore analysed a retrospective cohort of 182 patients with glioma grade 2 (according to the WHO 2016 classification) including 78 individuals (43%) with subventricular zone involvement.

PCV chemotherapy alone for WHO grade 2 oligodendroglioma: prolonged disease control with low risk of malignant progression.

Introduction: The role of chemotherapy alone in newly diagnosed WHO grade 2 oligodendroglioma after biopsy, incomplete or gross total resection remains controversial. We here analyze the clinical outcome of four patient cohorts being treated with either procarbazine, CCNU and vincristine (PCV) or temozolomide (TMZ) after biopsy, resection only, or wait-and-scan after biopsy.

Methods: Patients (n = 142) with molecularly defined oligodendroglioma (WHO 2016) were assigned to four cohorts: W&S, wait-and-scan after stereotactic biopsy (n = 59); RES, surgical resection only (n = 27); TMZ, temozolomide after biopsy (n = 26) or PCV (n = 30) after biopsy.

Interstitial Photodynamic Therapy Using 5-ALA for Malignant Glioma Recurrences.

Interstitial photodynamic therapy (iPDT) using 5-aminolevulinic acid (5-ALA)-induced protoporphyrin IX (PpIX) as a cytotoxic photosensitizer could be a feasible treatment option for malignant gliomas. In a monocentric cohort of consecutive patients treated between 2006 and 2018, a risk profile analysis of salvage iPDT for local malignant glioma recurrences and associated outcome measures are presented here. It was considered indicated in patients with circumscribed biopsy-proven malignant glioma recurrences after standard therapy, if not deemed eligible for safe complete resection.

Extent and prognostic value of MGMT promotor methylation in glioma WHO grade II.

MGMT promotor methylation is associated with favourable outcome in high-grade glioma. In glioma WHO grade II, it is unclear whether the extent of MGMT promotor methylation and its prognostic role is independent from other molecular markers. We performed a retrospective analysis of 155 patients with glioma WHO grade II.

MRI and FET-PET Predict Survival Benefit from Bevacizumab Plus Radiotherapy in Patients with Isocitrate Dehydrogenase Wild-type Glioblastoma: Results from the Randomized ARTE Trial.

Purpose: To explore a prognostic or predictive role of MRI and O-(2-F-fluoroethyl)-L-tyrosine (FET) PET parameters for outcome in the randomized multicenter trial ARTE that compared bevacizumab plus radiotherapy with radiotherpay alone in elderly patients with glioblastoma.

Patients And Methods: Patients with isocitrate dehydrogenase wild-type glioblastoma ages 65 years or older were included in this analysis. Tumor volumetric and apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) analyses of serial MRI scans from 67 patients and serial FET-PET tumor-to-brain intensity ratios (TBRs) from 31 patients were analyzed blinded for treatment arm and outcome.

Extended stereotactic brain biopsy in suspected primary central nervous system angiitis: good diagnostic accuracy and high safety.

Objective: To evaluate the diagnostic accuracy and safety of extended stereotactic brain biopsy (ESBB) in a single center cohort with suspected primary angiitis of the central nervous system (PACNS).

Methods: A standardized stereotactic biopsy targeting MRI-positive lesions and collecting samples from the meninges and the cortex as well as from the white matter was performed in 23 patients with clinically suspected PACNS between 2010 and 2017. The relationship between biopsy yield and clinical characteristics, cerebrospinal fluid parameters, MR-imaging, time point of biopsy and exact localization of biopsy as well as number of tissue samples were examined.

Prognostic value of O-(2-[F]-fluoroethyl)-L-tyrosine PET in relapsing oligodendroglioma.

Purpose: To assess the relationship between F-18-fluoro-ethyl-tyrosine positron emission tomography (FET-PET) parameters of relapsing oligodendroglioma and progression-free survival.

Material And Methods: The relationship of clinical parameters, FET-PET parameters (SUV, TBR, BTV time-activity curves) and progression-free survival was analyzed using univariate and multivariate analysis in 42 adult patients with relapsing oligodendroglioma. Kaplan-Meier analysis was used to assess survival.

Early versus Delayed Microsurgical Clipping of Additional Unruptured Aneurysms in Patients with Aneurysmal Subarachnoid Hemorrhage.

Background: The optimal timing for the surgical treatment of additional unruptured aneurysms in patients with multiple aneurysms and aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH) is unknown. Therefore, we analyzed the results of early versus delayed microsurgical treatment of unruptured aneurysms when multiple aneurysms were present in the setting of aSAH.

Methods: The medical records from a consecutive, single-surgeon, 19-year experience of all patients with aSAH and additional unruptured aneurysms treated with a second surgery were reviewed retrospectively.

The value of visible 5-ALA fluorescence and quantitative protoporphyrin IX analysis for improved surgery of suspected low-grade gliomas.

Objective: In patients with suspected diffusely infiltrating low-grade gliomas (LGG), the prognosis is dependent especially on extent of resection and precision of tissue sampling. Unfortunately, visible 5-aminolevulinic acid (5-ALA) fluorescence is usually only present in high-grade gliomas (HGGs), and most LGGs cannot be visualized. Recently, spectroscopic probes were introduced allowing in vivo quantitative analysis of intratumoral 5-ALA-induced protoporphyrin IX (PpIX) accumulation.