Abstract
Aim: Beyond brain computed tomography (CT) scan, Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) and Positron Emission Tomography (PET) hold paramount importance in neuro-oncology. The aim of this narrative review is to discuss the literature from 2015 to 2020, showing advantages or complementary information of fluorine-18 fluorodeoxyglucose (18F-FDG) PET imaging to the anatomical and functional data offered by MRI in patients with glioma. Methods: A comprehensive Pubmed/MEDLINE literature search was performed to retrieve original studies, with a minimum of 10 glioma patients, published from 2015 until the end of April 2020, on the use of 18F-FDG PET in conjunction with MRI. Results: Twenty-two articles were selected. Combined use of the two modalities improves the accuracy in predicting prognosis, planning treatments, and evaluating recurrence. Conclusion: According to the recent literature, 18F-FDG PET provides different and complementary information to MRI and may enhance performance in the whole management of gliomas. Therefore, integrated PET/MRI may be particularly useful in gliomas, since it could provide accurate morphological and metabolic information in one-shoot examination and improve the diagnostic value compared to each of procedures.
Highlights
Gliomas are the most common primary intra-axial brain tumors
Abstracts, and the full text, 21 articles were selected by applying the inclusion criteria mentioned above
A total of 22 studies were included in this narrative review, organized in five relevant clinical topics: (1) diagnosis and differential diagnosis, (2) grading, (3) prognosis, (4) assessment of recurrence, and (5) treatment planning and evaluation of responses to therapy
Summary
Gliomas are the most common primary intra-axial brain tumors. Gliomas originate from neuroglial cells, which forms the supportive tissue of the central nervous system (CNS). It consists of differentiated astrocytic and oligodendrocytic components. The 2016 World Health Organization (WHO) classification of CNS tumors divides gliomas in low (LGGs, grade I-II) and high-grade Diagnostics 2020, 10, 357 grade III-IV) levels [1,2]. With a median overall survival (OS) of 14–17 months, grade IV glioma, which is formerly known as glioblastoma multiforme (GBM), is the most lethal glioma and accounts for 70–75% of all gliomas [3,4]
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