Glioblastoma: does the pre-treatment geometry matter? A postcontrast T1 MRI-based study

Background The potential of a tumour’s volumetric measures obtained from pretreatment MRI sequences of glioblastoma (GBM) patients as predictors of clinical outcome has been controversial. Mathematical models of GBM growth have suggested a relation between a tumour’s geometry and its aggressiveness. Methods A multicenter retrospective clinical study was designed to study volumetric and geometrical measures on pretreatment postcontrast T1 MRIs of 117 GBM patients. Clinical variables were collected, tumours segmented, and measures computed including: contrast enhancing (CE), necrotic, and total volumes; maximal tumour diameter; equivalent spherical CE width and several geometric measures of the CE “rim”. The significance of the measures was studied using proportional hazards analysis and Kaplan-Meier curves. Results Kaplan-Meier and univariate Cox survival analysis showed that total volume [ p = 0.034, Hazard ratio (HR) = 1.574], CE volume ( p = 0.017, HR = 1.659), spherical rim width ( p = 0.007, HR = 1.749), and geometric heterogeneity ( p = 0.015, HR = 1.646) were significant parameters in terms of overall survival (OS). Multivariable Cox analysis for OS provided the later two parameters as age-adjusted predictors of OS ( p = 0.043, HR = 1.536 and p = 0.032, HR = 1.570, respectively). Conclusion Patients with tumours having small geometric heterogeneity and/or spherical rim widths had significantly better prognosis. These novel imaging biomarkers have a strong individual and combined prognostic value for GBM patients. Key Points • Three-dimensional segmentation on magnetic resonance images allows the study of geometric measures. • Patients with small width of contrast enhancing areas have better prognosis. • The irregularity of contrast enhancing areas predicts survival in glioblastoma patients.