Brain scans did not reliably show which brain tumor patients had speech problems
Original title: Functional network correlates of aphasia and compensation in brain tumor patients: A graph theoretical analysis of resting-state fMRI.
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 did not find a reliable test.
The short version
A study of brain scans could not reliably tell which brain tumor patients had trouble with speech and language.
What was studied. Researchers looked back at brain scans from 120 people. There were 40 tumor patients with speech and language trouble, 40 tumor patients without it, and 40 healthy people. All the tumors were on the left side of the brain.
What they found. The scan measures did not reliably tell the three groups apart. They also could not tell which tumor patients had speech trouble once the researchers accounted for age, sex, and whether the person was left or right handed. Some small differences did show up in certain brain areas in patients without speech trouble, but the researchers called those early findings, not proof.
What this means, and what it doesn't
What it could mean: For now, this kind of scan is not a reliable way to tell if a person has speech and language trouble. Your care team still needs to test your speech and language directly. The scans may still be useful to doctors for other reasons, like planning surgery.
What it doesn't mean: This does not mean brain scans are useless. It is not a new test, and it is not a treatment. This was a look back at scans that had already been taken, so it is early research and far from everyday care. It is not a cure or a promise of one.
Source: PubMed, August 5, 2026 · Read the original
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