A special MRI scan may hint at a key tumor marker
Original title: Prediction of MGMT promoter methylation in glioblastoma and grade 4 astrocytoma using fluid-suppressed chemical exchange saturation transfer MRI and machine learning-based segmentation.
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 a small group of people, but it is not proven and is not part of regular care.
The short version
A brain scan might one day give doctors a clue about an important tumor marker, without needing tissue.
What was studied. Researchers scanned 44 people who had high grade brain tumors. 39 had glioblastoma: The fastest-growing type of glioma (grade 4). Treatment usually starts soon after diagnosis: surgery first, then radiation and chemotherapy. See the glossary and five had grade 4 astrocytoma. They used a special kind of MRI, plus free computer tools that outline the tumor on the scan.
What they found. 24 of the 44 people had the MGMT marker turned on. The scans looked different between the two groups. Tumors without the marker gave stronger signals, both in the active tumor and in the dead tissue inside it. The scan was better at picking out tumors with the marker than at correctly clearing the ones without it.
What this means, and what it doesn't
What it could mean: MGMT status is a marker that can affect how well a tumor responds to treatment. Right now doctors learn it by testing tumor tissue taken in surgery. This kind of scan might someday give a clue earlier, or when tissue is hard to get. It would not be a treatment on its own.
What it doesn't mean: This does not mean the scan can replace lab testing of tumor tissue. This was one small study, with 44 people, and it was not perfect at telling the groups apart. The authors say larger studies at more hospitals are still needed. Nothing here is a treatment, and it is not a cure.
Source: PubMed, July 23, 2026 · Read the original
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