A special brain scan changed radiation plans for most people in this study
Original title: Impact of [18F]FET-PET on MRI-Based Radiotherapy Target Volumes in Newly Diagnosed Glioblastoma:Results from the FET-PET in Glioblastoma (FIG) Study TROG 18.06.
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 scan was tested in people, but it is not standard care yet.
The short version
Adding a special scan to MRI changed where radiation would be aimed for most patients.
What was studied. Doctors studied adults with newly found 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 at several hospitals. 172 people joined and 140 could be studied. Each had an MRI and a FET-PET scan after surgery, before radiation.
What they found. The target area drawn from the PET scan plus MRI was bigger than the area from MRI alone. This happened in 83% of cases. Using a set cutoff, 76% of people had a meaningful change in the target area. The planned radiation dose covered the bigger area less well.
What this means, and what it doesn't
What it could mean: This scan may show tumor that an MRI alone does not show. That could change where a radiation beam is aimed. It may also mean doctors have to plan the dose in a new way.
What it doesn't mean: This does not mean the scan helps people live longer. The study only looked at how the target area was drawn. It did not test whether patients did better. This kind of scan is not part of standard care in most places. It is not a cure, and this study is not a promise of one.
Source: PubMed, September 24, 2026 · Read the original
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