fMRI Reveal Functional Preservation in Glioma Peritumoral Edema

Individualized fMRI and Molecular Profiling Reveal Functional Preservation in Glioma Peritumoral Edema

he goal of this observational study is to investigate the functional and biological characteristics of the brain tissue surrounding diffuse gliomas, known as peritumoral edema (PTE). The study aims to determine if a non-invasive brain imaging technique, resting-state functional MRI (rs-fMRI), can identify which parts of this edematous tissue are functionally preserved. The main questions it aims to answer are:

Can individualized rs-fMRI mapping accurately distinguish functionally active subregions from non-functional subregions within the peritumoral edema?

Do these functionally preserved regions, identified by imaging, correspond to areas with lower tumor cell infiltration and higher neuronal integrity when examined microscopically?

Participants prospectively enrolled for glioma resection surgery as part of their standard clinical care will undergo preoperative rs-fMRI. This imaging data will be used to create individualized functional network maps of the PTE. During the planned surgery, biopsies will be taken from PTE areas identified by the rs-fMRI analysis as "functionally preserved" and "non-preserved." These tissue samples will then undergo molecular analysis to assess markers for tumor proliferation (Ki-67), invasiveness (Nestin), neuronal integrity (NeuN), and synaptic density (PSD-95, Synapsin-1). Finally, the functional characteristics derived from the preoperative imaging will be correlated with the molecular profiles of the corresponding tissue samples.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Glioma

• Study Type: Observational
• Enrollment (Actual): 44

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• China
  • Sichuan
    • Chengdu, Sichuan, China, 610041
      • Department of Radiology

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: Adult; Older Adult
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

• Sampling Method: Probability Sample

Study Population

gliomas

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

Right-handedness Pathologically confirmed diffuse glioma (WHO grade 2-4, based on 2021 WHO classification) Clinical indication for preoperative MRI Clearly delineated FLAIR hyperintensity surrounding the tumor Age 18 years or older Willing and able to provide written informed consent

Exclusion Criteria:

Prior brain biopsy or treatment for glioma Contraindications to MRI (e.g., pacemaker, ferromagnetic implants, severe claustrophobia) Comorbid psychiatric or neurological conditions that may affect functional imaging Head motion exceeding 1.0 mm translation or 1.0° rotation during rs-fMRI acquisition Framewise displacement (FD) greater than 0.2 mm during rs-fMRI

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Number of groups / cohorts

1

Cohorts and Interventions

Group / Cohort
Diffuse Glioma Patients

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Functional connectivity strength of peritumoral edema regions measured by resting-state fMRI	Nodal connectivity strength between peritumoral edema (PTE) subregions and 17 canonical Yeo functional networks, computed from resting-state fMRI data using individualized functional parcellation. Connectivity strength is calculated as the Pearson correlation coefficient between mean BOLD time series.	1-2 weeks before surgery
Shannon entropy of edge-centric functional connectivity in peritumoral edema regions	Normalized Shannon entropy (range 0-1) calculated from edge-centric functional connectivity analysis, reflecting the diversity of edge community participation for peritumoral edema subregions. Higher entropy indicates greater integrative complexity.	1-2 weeks before surgery
Ki-67 proliferation index in functionally preserved versus non-preserved peritumoral edema regions	Percentage of Ki-67 positive cells assessed by immunofluorescence staining in intraoperative tissue samples from functionally preserved and non-functionally preserved PTE compartments.	During surgery (intraoperative sampling)
Synaptic marker expression (PSD-95, Synapsin-1) in peritumoral edema subregions	Percentage of PSD-95 and Synapsin-1 positive cells assessed by immunofluorescence in paired tissue samples from functionally preserved and non-preserved PTE regions.	During surgery (intraoperative sampling)

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: West China Hospital

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): May 1, 2020
• Primary Completion (Actual): January 1, 2025
• Study Completion (Actual): February 1, 2025

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: December 20, 2025
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: January 6, 2026
• First Posted (Actual): January 15, 2026

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): January 15, 2026
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: January 6, 2026
• Last Verified: January 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Neoplasms; Neoplasms by Histologic Type; Neoplasms, Glandular and Epithelial; Neoplasms, Neuroepithelial; Neuroectodermal Tumors; Neoplasms, Germ Cell and Embryonal; Neoplasms, Nerve Tissue; Glioma
• Other Study ID Numbers: 82271961

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: UNDECIDED

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No