Can MRI scans hint at how a lower-grade glioma responds to radiation?
Original title: Linking MRI radiomics to transcriptomics-based radiosensitivity in lower-grade glioma: A radiogenomic framework.
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 is an early idea tested by computer on past scans, not something doctors use.
The short version
Researchers asked if a computer could read MRI scans to guess how a tumor may respond to radiation.
What was studied. Researchers used MRI scans and gene test results from 107 people with lower-grade glioma: A tumor that starts in the glial cells, the support cells of the brain and spinal cord. Gliomas are given a grade from 1 to 4 describing how the tumor is expected to behave. See the glossary. They trained five computer programs to guess the gene test result from the scans alone.
What they found. The programs worked best when they looked at 13 features of the scans. One program did a fairly good job of sorting tumors into two groups. One group was more likely to respond to radiation, and one was less likely. Signs of how uneven the tumor looked on the scan mattered most.
What this means, and what it doesn't
What it could mean: Right now, this gene test needs a piece of the tumor. Some day, a scan might give doctors a similar hint without taking tissue. That could one day help with planning radiation.
What it doesn't mean: This is not a tool your doctor can use today. The authors say it is an early test of an idea. It was done by computer using past records, not in a trial with patients. It does not change how anyone is treated now, and it is not a cure.
Source: PubMed, September 10, 2026 · Read the original
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