A blood flow MRI scan may help show a brain tumor's grade
Original title: Diagnostic value of 3D pCASL perfusion in glioma grading according to the WHO 2021 classification: a retrospective study of 530 cases.
How far along is this research?
- Lab cells
- Animals
- Review
- Tested in people
This was tested in people. That is the most reliable kind of research we share.
This was a look back at scans already taken in people, not a test of a new treatment.
The short version
A scan that needs no dye may help doctors judge how serious a brain tumor is.
What was studied. Doctors looked back at records of 530 people with newly found brain tumors. The scans were done between 2011 and 2024 at one hospital. Each person had an MRI that measures blood flow inside the tumor without any dye.
What they found. 511 of the tumors were gliomas. They included 75 grade 2, 152 grade 3, and 284 grade 4 tumors. Blood flow in the tumor helped tell grade 2 tumors from grade 3 and grade 4 tumors. It also helped tell grade 2 from grade 3. It did not tell apart two types of grade 4 tumor.
What this means, and what it doesn't
What it could mean: Doctors may get a useful clue about a tumor's grade before surgery. The scan needs no dye and no needle. A tissue sample is still needed to know the tumor type for sure.
What it doesn't mean: This is not a treatment and it is not a cure. The team looked back at scans that were already taken at one hospital. The blood flow numbers came from that hospital's own scanner and settings. Other places may get different numbers. This does not replace surgery or a tissue sample, and it does not change what care you get today.
Source: PubMed, October 19, 2026 · Read the original
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