A computer tool that reads MRI scans after glioblastoma treatment
Original title: Calibrated and explainable multiparametric MRI radiomics for differentiating tumor positive disease from treatment-related changes in glioblastoma.
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.
It was tested only on past scans, not yet in real patient care.
The short version
A computer tool may help tell tumor growth from treatment changes on MRI.
What was studied. Researchers looked back at MRI scans from 168 people with glioblastoma: A glioma that is given grade 4, the highest grade. It grows fast. Treatment usually starts soon after it is found. It often means surgery, then radiation and chemotherapy. See the glossary. That came to 224 scan exams. In 173 of them the tumor was active. In 51 the changes came from treatment. A computer program learned from details in four kinds of scans.
What they found. The program spotted active tumor 75.0% of the time. When the change came from treatment, it got that right 92.3% of the time. All four scan types added useful information.
What this means, and what it doesn't
What it could mean: After treatment, tumor growth and treatment changes can look alike on a scan. That makes it hard for doctors to tell them apart. A tool like this might one day help. Right now it is only a research tool.
What it doesn't mean: This does not mean the tool is ready for your care. It was tested only on old scans from one group of patients. The authors say it must be tested in other groups first. Nothing here is a new treatment, and it is not a cure.
Source: PubMed, August 18, 2026 · Read the original
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