A special MRI scan may help tell brain tumor types apart
Original title: Amide Proton Transfer Imaging for Differentiating Gliomas and Meningiomas and Assessing Tumor Infiltration.
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 from people, and it is not part of normal care yet.
The short version
A newer kind of MRI scan helped doctors tell two brain tumor types apart.
What was studied. Doctors looked back at brain scans from 105 people with confirmed brain tumors. The group had 55 meningiomas, 20 low grade gliomas, and 30 high grade gliomas.
What they found. The scan, called APT imaging, gave a stronger signal in high grade gliomas. The signal was lower in low grade gliomas and in meningiomas. The scan also gave clues about how far a glioma: A tumor that starts in the glial cells, the support cells of the brain and spinal cord. Gliomas are graded 1 to 4 by how fast they tend to grow. See the glossary had spread into nearby tissue.
What this means, and what it doesn't
What it could mean: This scan may help doctors tell the tumor type before surgery. That could help them plan the operation. It may help most when a tumor is hard to read on a normal MRI.
What it doesn't mean: This is not a treatment, and it is not a cure. The doctors only looked back at scans that had already been taken. The study does not show that people live longer or feel better. This scan is not part of everyday care yet. Doctors still need to test tumor tissue to be sure.
Source: PubMed, August 11, 2026 · Read the original
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