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Jin L, Lu P, Kang J, Liu F, Liu X, Song Y, Wu W, Cai K, Ru S, Cao J, Zuo Z, Gui S. Abnormal hypothalamic functional connectivity associated with cognitive impairment in craniopharyngiomas. Cortex 2024; 178:190-200. [PMID: 39018955 DOI: 10.1016/j.cortex.2024.06.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/24/2023] [Revised: 03/28/2024] [Accepted: 06/10/2024] [Indexed: 07/19/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE This study sought to characterize resting-state functional connectivity (rsFC) patterns of the hypothalamic and extrahypothalamic nuclei in craniopharyngioma (CP) patients, and to investigate potential correlations between hypothalamic and extrahypothalamic rsFC maps and neurocognitive performance. METHODS Ninety-two CP patients and 40 demographically-matched healthy controls were included. Whole-brain seed-to-voxel analyses were used to test for between-group rsFC differences, and regression analyses were used to correlate neurocognitive performance with voxel-wise hypothalamic and extrahypothalamic rsFC maps for CP patients. Finally, spectral DCM analysis was used to explore the hypothalamus circuit associated with neurocognitive performance. RESULTS The seed-to-voxel analyses demonstrated that the hypothalamic nuclei showed mainly significant rsFC reduction in brain areas overlayed with the cortical regions of default mode network (DMN), notably in the bilateral anterior cingulate cortices and posterior cingulate cortices. The extrahypothalamic nuclei showed significant rsFC reduction in the limbic system of bilateral caudate nuclei, corpus callosum, fornix, and thalamus. Regression analyses revealed that worse cognitive performance was correlated with abnormal hypothalamic rsFC with brain areas in DMN, and DCM analysis revealed a hypothalamus-DMN circuit responsible for functional modulation of cognitive impairment in CP patients. CONCLUSIONS Our study demonstrated that CPs invading into hypothalamus impacted hypothalamic and extrahypothalamic rsFC with brain areas of DMN and limbic system, the severity of which was parallel with the grading system of hypothalamus involvement. In addition to the CP-induced structural damage to the hypothalamus alone, abnormal functional connectivity within the hypothalamus-DMN circuit might be a functional mechanism leading to the cognitive impairment in CP patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lu Jin
- Department of Neurosurgery, Beijing Tiantan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, PR China
| | - Pengwei Lu
- Department of Neurosurgery, Beijing Tiantan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, PR China
| | - Jie Kang
- Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Surgery, Beijing Children's Hospital, Capital Medical University, National Center for Children's Health, Beijing, PR China
| | - Fangzheng Liu
- Department of Neurosurgery, Beijing Tiantan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, PR China
| | - Xin Liu
- Department of Neurosurgery, Beijing Tiantan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, PR China
| | - Yifan Song
- Department of Neurosurgery, Beijing Tiantan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, PR China
| | - Wentao Wu
- Department of Neurosurgery, Beijing Tiantan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, PR China
| | - Kefan Cai
- Department of Neurosurgery, Beijing Tiantan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, PR China
| | - Siming Ru
- Department of Neurosurgery, Beijing Tiantan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, PR China
| | - Jingtao Cao
- State Key Laboratory of Brain and Cognitive Science, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, PR China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 19A Yuquan Road, Beijing, PR China
| | - Zentao Zuo
- State Key Laboratory of Brain and Cognitive Science, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, PR China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 19A Yuquan Road, Beijing, PR China.
| | - Songbai Gui
- Department of Neurosurgery, Beijing Tiantan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, PR China.
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De Benedictis A, Rossi-Espagnet MC, de Palma L, Sarubbo S, Marras CE. Structural networking of the developing brain: from maturation to neurosurgical implications. Front Neuroanat 2023; 17:1242757. [PMID: 38099209 PMCID: PMC10719860 DOI: 10.3389/fnana.2023.1242757] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2023] [Accepted: 11/09/2023] [Indexed: 12/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Modern neuroscience agrees that neurological processing emerges from the multimodal interaction among multiple cortical and subcortical neuronal hubs, connected at short and long distance by white matter, to form a largely integrated and dynamic network, called the brain "connectome." The final architecture of these circuits results from a complex, continuous, and highly protracted development process of several axonal pathways that constitute the anatomical substrate of neuronal interactions. Awareness of the network organization of the central nervous system is crucial not only to understand the basis of children's neurological development, but also it may be of special interest to improve the quality of neurosurgical treatments of many pediatric diseases. Although there are a flourishing number of neuroimaging studies of the connectome, a comprehensive vision linking this research to neurosurgical practice is still lacking in the current pediatric literature. The goal of this review is to contribute to bridging this gap. In the first part, we summarize the main current knowledge concerning brain network maturation and its involvement in different aspects of normal neurocognitive development as well as in the pathophysiology of specific diseases. The final section is devoted to identifying possible implications of this knowledge in the neurosurgical field, especially in epilepsy and tumor surgery, and to discuss promising perspectives for future investigations.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Luca de Palma
- Clinical and Experimental Neurology, Bambino Gesù Children’s Hospital, Rome, Italy
| | - Silvio Sarubbo
- Department of Neurosurgery, Santa Chiara Hospital, Azienda Provinciale per i Servizi Sanitari (APSS), Trento, Italy
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Iannalfi A, Riva G, Ciccone L, Orlandi E. The role of particle radiotherapy in the treatment of skull base tumors. Front Oncol 2023; 13:1161752. [PMID: 37350949 PMCID: PMC10283010 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2023.1161752] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2023] [Accepted: 05/19/2023] [Indexed: 06/24/2023] Open
Abstract
The skull base is an anatomically and functionally critical area surrounded by vital structures such as the brainstem, the spinal cord, blood vessels, and cranial nerves. Due to this complexity, management of skull base tumors requires a multidisciplinary approach involving a team of specialists such as neurosurgeons, otorhinolaryngologists, radiation oncologists, endocrinologists, and medical oncologists. In the case of pediatric patients, cancer management should be performed by a team of pediatric-trained specialists. Radiation therapy may be used alone or in combination with surgery to treat skull base tumors. There are two main types of radiation therapy: photon therapy and particle therapy. Particle radiotherapy uses charged particles (protons or carbon ions) that, due to their peculiar physical properties, permit precise targeting of the tumor with minimal healthy tissue exposure. These characteristics allow for minimizing the potential long-term effects of radiation exposure in terms of neurocognitive impairments, preserving quality of life, and reducing the risk of radio-induced cancer. For these reasons, in children, adolescents, and young adults, proton therapy should be an elective option when available. In radioresistant tumors such as chordomas and sarcomas and previously irradiated recurrent tumors, particle therapy permits the delivery of high biologically effective doses with low, or however acceptable, toxicity. Carbon ion therapy has peculiar and favorable radiobiological characteristics to overcome radioresistance features. In low-grade tumors, proton therapy should be considered in challenging cases due to tumor volume and involvement of critical neural structures. However, particle radiotherapy is still relatively new, and more research is needed to fully understand its effects. Additionally, the availability of particle therapy is limited as it requires specialized equipment and expertise. The purpose of this manuscript is to review the available literature regarding the role of particle radiotherapy in the treatment of skull base tumors.
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Tanedo J, Gajawelli N, Guo S, Baron Nelson M, Lepore N. White matter tract changes in pediatric posterior fossa brain tumor survivors after surgery and chemotherapy. FRONTIERS IN NEUROIMAGING 2022; 1:845609. [PMID: 37555139 PMCID: PMC10406254 DOI: 10.3389/fnimg.2022.845609] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2021] [Accepted: 08/24/2022] [Indexed: 08/10/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Survivors of pediatric posterior fossa brain tumors are susceptible to the adverse effects of treatment as they grow into adulthood. While the exact neurobiological mechanisms of these outcomes are not yet understood, the effects of treatment on white matter (WM) tracts in the brain can be visualized using diffusion tensor (DT) imaging. We investigated these WM microstructural differences using the statistical method tract-specific analysis (TSA). We applied TSA to the DT images of 25 children with a history of posterior fossa tumor (15 treated with surgery, 10 treated with surgery and chemotherapy) along with 21 healthy controls. Between these 3 groups, we examined differences in the most used DTI metric, fractional anisotropy (FA), in 11 major brain WM tracts. RESULTS Lower FA was found in the splenium of the corpus callosum (CC), the bilateral corticospinal tract (CST), the right inferior frontal occipital fasciculus (IFOF) and the left uncinate fasciculus (UF) in children with brain tumors as compared to healthy controls. Lower FA, an indicator of microstructural damage to WM, was observed in 4 of the 11 WM tracts examined in both groups of children with a history of posterior fossa tumor, with an additional tract unique to children who received surgery and chemotherapy (left UF). CONCLUSIONS Our findings indicate that a history of tumor in the posterior fossa and surgical resection may have effects on the WM in other parts of the brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeffrey Tanedo
- CIBORG Laboratory, Department of Radiology, Children's Hospital Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Niharika Gajawelli
- CIBORG Laboratory, Department of Radiology, Children's Hospital Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Sharon Guo
- CIBORG Laboratory, Department of Radiology, Children's Hospital Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Mary Baron Nelson
- CIBORG Laboratory, Department of Radiology, Children's Hospital Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States
- Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Natasha Lepore
- CIBORG Laboratory, Department of Radiology, Children's Hospital Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, United States
- Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, United States
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Acharya S, Guo Y, Patni T, Li Y, Wang C, Gargone M, Ashford JM, Wilson L, Faught A, Reddick WE, Patay Z, Gajjar A, Conklin HM, Merchant TE. Association Between Brain Substructure Dose and Cognitive Outcomes in Children With Medulloblastoma Treated on SJMB03: A Step Toward Substructure-Informed Planning. J Clin Oncol 2022; 40:83-95. [PMID: 34714708 PMCID: PMC8683226 DOI: 10.1200/jco.21.01480] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2021] [Revised: 08/31/2021] [Accepted: 09/29/2021] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE To characterize the association between neurocognitive outcomes (memory and processing speed) and radiation (RT) dose to the hippocampus, corpus callosum (CC), and frontal white matter (WM) in children with medulloblastoma treated on a prospective study, SJMB03. PATIENTS AND METHODS Patients age 3-21 years with medulloblastoma were treated at a single institution on a phase III study. The craniospinal RT dose was 23.4 Gy for average-risk patients and 36-39.6 Gy for high-risk patients. The boost dose was 55.8 Gy to the tumor bed. Patients underwent cognitive testing at baseline and once yearly for 5 years. Performance on tests of memory (associative memory and working memory) and processing speed (composite processing speed and perceptual speed) was analyzed. Mixed-effects models were used to estimate longitudinal trends in neurocognitive outcomes. Reliable change index and logistic regression were used to define clinically meaningful neurocognitive decline and identify variables associated with decline. RESULTS One hundred and twenty-four patients were eligible for inclusion, with a median neurocognitive follow-up of 5 years. Mean right and left hippocampal doses were significantly associated with decline in associative memory in patients without posterior fossa syndrome (all P < .05). Mean CC and frontal WM doses were significantly associated with decline in both measures of processing speed (all P < .05). Median brain substructure dose-volume histograms were shifted to the right for patients with a decline in associative memory or processing speed. The odds of decline in associative memory and composite processing speed increased by 23%-26% and by 10%-15% for every 1-Gy increase in mean hippocampal dose and mean CC or frontal WM dose, respectively. CONCLUSION Increasing RT dose to the CC or frontal WM and hippocampus is associated with worse performance on tests of processing speed and associative memory, respectively. Brain substructure-informed RT planning may mitigate neurocognitive impairment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sahaja Acharya
- Department of Radiation Oncology, St Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN
- Department of Radiation Oncology and Molecular Radiation Sciences, Johns Hopkins Medicine, Baltimore, MD
| | - Yian Guo
- Department of Biostatistics, St Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN
| | - Tushar Patni
- Department of Biostatistics, St Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN
| | - Yimei Li
- Department of Biostatistics, St Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN
| | - Chuang Wang
- Department of Radiation Oncology, St Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN
| | - Melissa Gargone
- Department of Radiation Oncology, St Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN
| | - Jason M. Ashford
- Department of Psychology, St Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN
| | - Lydia Wilson
- Department of Radiation Oncology, St Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN
| | - Austin Faught
- Department of Radiation Oncology, St Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN
| | - Wilburn E. Reddick
- Department of Diagnostic Imaging, St Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN
| | - Zoltan Patay
- Department of Diagnostic Imaging, St Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN
| | - Amar Gajjar
- Division of Neuro-Oncology, St Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN
| | - Heather M. Conklin
- Department of Psychology, St Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN
| | - Thomas E. Merchant
- Department of Radiation Oncology, St Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN
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Svärd D, Follin C, Fjalldal S, Hellerstedt R, Mannfolk P, Mårtensson J, Sundgren P, Erfurth EM. Cognitive interference processing in adults with childhood craniopharyngioma using functional magnetic resonance imaging. Endocrine 2021; 74:714-722. [PMID: 34292485 PMCID: PMC8571203 DOI: 10.1007/s12020-021-02824-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2021] [Accepted: 07/07/2021] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE To assess cognitive interference processing in adults with childhood craniopharyngioma (CP), with and without hypothalamic injury, respectively, in terms of behavioral performance and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) activity, using the multi-source interference task (MSIT). METHODS Twenty-eight CP patients (median age 34.5 [29.0-39.5] years) were investigated at median 20.5 (16.3-28.8) years after treatment with surgical resection and in some cases additional radiotherapy (n = 10) and compared to 29 matched controls (median age 37.0 [32.5-42.0] years). The subjects performed the MSIT during fMRI acquisition and behavioral performance in terms of response times (ms) and accuracy performance (%) were recorded. RESULTS The MSIT activated the cingulo-fronto-parietal (CFP) attention network in both CP patients and controls. No differences were found in behavioral performance nor fMRI activity between CP patients (interference effect 333.9 [287.3-367.1] ms and 3.1 [1.6-5.6]%, respectively) and controls (309.1 [276.4-361.0] ms and 2.6 [1.6-4.9]%). No differences were found in behavioral performance nor fMRI activity between the two subgroups with (332.0 [283.6-353.4] ms and 4.2 [2.3-5.7]%, respectively) and without hypothalamic injury (355.7 [293.7-388.7] ms and 2.1 [1.0-5.2]%, respectively), respectively, and controls. CONCLUSION Adults with childhood CP performed cognitive interference processing equally well as controls and demonstrated no compensatory fMRI activity in the CFP attention network compared to controls. This was also true for the two subgroups with and without hypothalamic injury. The results can be useful to better characterize this condition, and to optimize treatment and support for these individuals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Svärd
- Department of Diagnostic Radiology, Lund University, Lund, Sweden.
- Department of Medical Imaging and Physiology, Skåne University Hospital, Lund, Sweden.
| | - Cecilia Follin
- Department of Oncology, Skåne University Hospital, Lund, Sweden
| | - Sigridur Fjalldal
- Department of Endocrinology, Skåne University Hospital, Lund, Sweden
| | | | - Peter Mannfolk
- Department of Medical Imaging and Physiology, Skåne University Hospital, Lund, Sweden
| | - Johan Mårtensson
- Department of Logopedics, Phoniatrics and Audiology, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Pia Sundgren
- Department of Diagnostic Radiology, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
- Department of Medical Imaging and Physiology, Skåne University Hospital, Lund, Sweden
- Lund University BioImaging Center, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Eva Marie Erfurth
- Department of Endocrinology, Skåne University Hospital, Lund, Sweden
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Cavatorta C, Meroni S, Montin E, Oprandi MC, Pecori E, Lecchi M, Diletto B, Alessandro O, Peruzzo D, Biassoni V, Schiavello E, Bologna M, Massimino M, Poggi G, Mainardi L, Arrigoni F, Spreafico F, Verderio P, Pignoli E, Gandola L. Retrospective study of late radiation-induced damages after focal radiotherapy for childhood brain tumors. PLoS One 2021; 16:e0247748. [PMID: 33635906 PMCID: PMC7909688 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0247748] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2020] [Accepted: 02/15/2021] [Indexed: 01/30/2023] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE To study a robust and reproducible procedure to investigate a relation between focal brain radiotherapy (RT) low doses, neurocognitive impairment and late White Matter and Gray Matter alterations, as shown by Diffusion Tensor Imaging (DTI), in children. METHODS AND MATERIALS Forty-five patients (23 males and 22 females, median age at RT 6.2 years, median age at evaluations 11.1 years) who had received focal RT for brain tumors were recruited for DTI exams and neurocognitive tests. Patients' brains were parceled in 116 regions of interest (ROIs) using an available segmented atlas. After the development of an ad hoc, home-made, multimodal and highly deformable registration framework, we collected mean RT doses and DTI metrics values for each ROI. The pattern of association between cognitive scores or domains and dose or DTI values was assessed in each ROI through both considering and excluding ROIs with mean doses higher than 75% of the prescription. Subsequently, a preliminary threshold value of dose discriminating patients with and without neurocognitive impairment was selected for the most relevant associations. RESULTS The workflow allowed us to identify 10 ROIs where RT dose and DTI metrics were significantly associated with cognitive tests results (p<0.05). In 5/10 ROIs, RT dose and cognitive tests were associated with p<0.01 and preliminary RT threshold dose values, implying a possible cognitive or neuropsychological damage, were calculated. The analysis of domains showed that the most involved one was the "school-related activities". CONCLUSION This analysis, despite being conducted on a retrospective cohort of children, shows that the identification of critical brain structures and respective radiation dose thresholds is achievable by combining, with appropriate methodological tools, the large amount of data arising from different sources. This supported the design of a prospective study to gain stronger evidence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claudia Cavatorta
- Medical Physics Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milano, Italy
| | - Silvia Meroni
- Medical Physics Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milano, Italy
- * E-mail:
| | - Eros Montin
- Department of Electronics Information and Bioengineering (DEIB), Politecnico di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Maria C. Oprandi
- Neuro-oncological and Neuropsychological Rehabilitation Unit, Scientific Institute IRCCS E. Medea, Bosisio Parini, Lecco, Italy
| | - Emilia Pecori
- Pediatric Radiotherapy Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milano, Italy
| | - Mara Lecchi
- Bioinformatics and Biostatistics Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milano, Italy
| | - Barbara Diletto
- Pediatric Radiotherapy Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milano, Italy
| | - Ombretta Alessandro
- Pediatric Radiotherapy Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milano, Italy
| | - Denis Peruzzo
- Neuroimaging Lab, Scientific Institute IRCCS E. Medea, Bosisio Parini, Lecco, Italy
| | - Veronica Biassoni
- Pediatric Oncology Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milano, Italy
| | - Elisabetta Schiavello
- Pediatric Oncology Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milano, Italy
| | - Marco Bologna
- Department of Electronics Information and Bioengineering (DEIB), Politecnico di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Maura Massimino
- Pediatric Oncology Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milano, Italy
| | - Geraldina Poggi
- Neuro-oncological and Neuropsychological Rehabilitation Unit, Scientific Institute IRCCS E. Medea, Bosisio Parini, Lecco, Italy
| | - Luca Mainardi
- Department of Electronics Information and Bioengineering (DEIB), Politecnico di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Filippo Arrigoni
- Neuroimaging Lab, Scientific Institute IRCCS E. Medea, Bosisio Parini, Lecco, Italy
| | - Filippo Spreafico
- Pediatric Oncology Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milano, Italy
| | - Paolo Verderio
- Bioinformatics and Biostatistics Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milano, Italy
| | - Emanuele Pignoli
- Medical Physics Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milano, Italy
| | - Lorenza Gandola
- Pediatric Radiotherapy Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milano, Italy
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Bhattacharya D, Chhabda S, Lakshmanan R, Tan R, Warne R, Benenati M, Michalski A, Aquilina K, Jacques T, Hargrave D, Chang YC, Gains J, Mankad K. Spectrum of neuroimaging findings post-proton beam therapy in a large pediatric cohort. Childs Nerv Syst 2021; 37:435-446. [PMID: 32705327 DOI: 10.1007/s00381-020-04819-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2019] [Accepted: 07/14/2020] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE Proton beam therapy (PBT) is now well established for the treatment of certain pediatric brain tumors. The intrinsic properties of PBT are known to reduce long-term negative effects of photon radiotherapy (PRT). To better understand the intracranial effects of PBT, we analyzed the longitudinal imaging changes in a cohort of children with brain tumors treated by PBT with clinical and radiotherapy dose correlations. MATERIALS AND METHODS Retrospective imaging review of 46 patients from our hospital with brain tumors treated by PBT. The imaging findings were correlated with clinical and dose parameters. RESULTS Imaging changes were assessed by reviewing serial magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans following PBT over a follow-up period ranging from 1 month to 7 years. Imaging changes were observed in 23 patients undergoing PBT and categorized as pseudoprogression (10 patients, 43%), white matter changes (6 patients, 23%), parenchymal atrophy (6 patients, 23%), and cerebral large vessel arteriopathy (5 patients, 25%). Three patients had more than one type of imaging change. Clinical symptoms attributable to PBT were observed in 13 (28%) patients. CONCLUSION In accordance with published literature, we found evidence of varied intracranial imaging changes in pediatric brain tumor patients treated with PBT. There was a higher incidence (10%) of large vessel cerebral arteriopathy in our cohort than previously described in the literature. Twenty-eight percent of patients had clinical sequelae as a result of these changes, particularly in the large vessel arteriopathy subgroup, arguing the need for angiographic and perfusion surveillance to pre-empt any morbidities and offer potential neuro-protection.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Ronald Tan
- KK Women's and Children's Hospital, Singapore, Singapore
| | | | | | | | | | - Thomas Jacques
- UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, London, UK
| | | | | | - Jenny Gains
- University College London Hospital, London, UK
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9
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Uh J, Merchant TE, Conklin HM, Ismael Y, Li Y, Han Y, Sabin ND, Babajani-Feremi A, Indelicato DJ, Hua CH. Diffusion Tensor Imaging-Based Analysis of Baseline Neurocognitive Function and Posttreatment White Matter Changes in Pediatric Patients With Craniopharyngioma Treated With Surgery and Proton Therapy. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys 2021; 109:515-526. [PMID: 32898610 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijrobp.2020.08.060] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2020] [Revised: 08/26/2020] [Accepted: 08/29/2020] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE To determine the preirradiation baseline association of white matter integrity with neurocognitive function and to assess posttreatment changes in pediatric patients with craniopharyngioma treated with proton therapy. METHODS AND MATERIALS Ninety children and adolescents (2-20 years old) with craniopharyngioma were treated with proton therapy (54 Gy[RBE]) in a prospective therapeutic trial. Neurocognitive performance at the postoperative baseline before proton therapy and diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) data acquired at baseline and at annual follow-up were analyzed. Tract-based spatial statistics and structural connectomics were used to derive global and local white matter features from DTI. Baseline DTI features were compared for patients with average and below-average neurocognitive performance. Longitudinal DTI data were analyzed to determine the proton dose effect on white matter structures in relation to the irradiated brain volume and baseline age. RESULTS Before proton therapy, patients with below-average working memory, processing speed, verbal fluency, verbal learning, or fine motor dexterity exhibited more globally degraded white matter structures compared with their counterparts with average performance, as indicated by lower mean fractional anisotropy, decreased global efficiency, or higher modularity. Surgery, obstructive hydrocephalus, and preoperative hypothalamic involvement appeared to be related to this degradation. In local analyses, tract-based spatial statistics revealed left-lateralized associations with verbal and motor functions, which supported surgical approaches to midline tumors via the right hemisphere. The mean fractional anisotropy of the brain and the global efficiency derived from DTI increased over the 5 years after proton therapy. The rate of increase was lower with larger irradiated brain volumes and in older children. CONCLUSIONS Below-average baseline neurocognitive performance in patients with craniopharyngioma before proton therapy appeared to be related to structural degradation of white matter tracts. Posttherapy longitudinal DTI showed improving trends in global integrity and efficiency measures, particularly in children in whom a smaller brain volume was irradiated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jinsoo Uh
- Department of Radiation Oncology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee.
| | - Thomas E Merchant
- Department of Radiation Oncology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee
| | - Heather M Conklin
- Department of Psychology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee
| | - Yousef Ismael
- Department of Radiation Oncology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee
| | - Yimei Li
- Department of Biostatistics, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee
| | - Yuanyuan Han
- Department of Biostatistics, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee
| | - Noah D Sabin
- Department of Diagnostic Imaging, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee
| | - Abbas Babajani-Feremi
- Department of Pediatrics and Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, and Neuroscience Institute, Le Bonheur Children's Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee
| | - Daniel J Indelicato
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Florida, Jacksonville, Florida
| | - Chia-Ho Hua
- Department of Radiation Oncology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee
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10
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Evaluation of Bremsstrahlung radiation dose in stereotactically radiocolloid therapy of cystic craniopharyngioma tumors with 32P radio-colloid. AUSTRALASIAN PHYSICAL & ENGINEERING SCIENCES IN MEDICINE 2018; 41:697-711. [PMID: 29987510 DOI: 10.1007/s13246-018-0665-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2017] [Accepted: 07/05/2018] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Over 90% of craniopharyngeal brain tumors are cystic, which enables the injection of beta emitters such as phosphorus-32 (32P) radio-colloid into cysts for their treatment. The aim of this study was to evaluate the clinical and theoretical modelling of Bremsstrahlung radiation dose resulting from stereotactic radio-colloid therapy of cystic craniopharyngioma tumors with 32P. 32P radio-colloid with appropriate activity concentration was injected to a head phantom, and then the Bremsstrahlung radiation spectrum and planar images were obtained using a gamma camera. Both phantom and gamma camera were simulated using MCNPX code, and the results were compared with practical results. Bremsstrahlung radiation spectrum was measured using a handheld gamma spectrometer for two patients treated with stereotactic radio-colloid therapy with 32P in different positions and compared to Monte Carlo simulation. Results of counting and determining sensitivity coefficients in the air and the attenuating environment were obtained. Also, comparing the counting sensitivity from practical and simulation methods indicated the agreement of the data between the two methods. Comparison of the spectra from different positions around patient's head indicated the ability to use this detector to quantify the activity in the operating room. Selection of the spectrum is important in Bremsstrahlung radiation imaging. We can take advantage of spectrometry measurement using gamma camera, handheld gamma spectrometer for patient, and theoretical modeling with Monte Carlo code to evaluate radiopharmaceutical distribution, leakage, as well as estimate activity and predict therapeutic effects in other adjacent structures and ultimately optimize radio-colloid therapy in cystic craniopharyngeal patients.
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Fjalldal S, Follin C, Svärd D, Rylander L, Gabery S, Petersén Å, van Westen D, Sundgren PC, Björkman-Burtscher IM, Lätt J, Ekman B, Johanson A, Erfurth EM. Microstructural white matter alterations and hippocampal volumes are associated with cognitive deficits in craniopharyngioma. Eur J Endocrinol 2018; 178:577-587. [PMID: 29599407 PMCID: PMC5937918 DOI: 10.1530/eje-18-0081] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2018] [Accepted: 03/28/2018] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
CONTEXT Patients with craniopharyngioma (CP) and hypothalamic lesions (HL) have cognitive deficits. Which neural pathways are affected is unknown. OBJECTIVE To determine whether there is a relationship between microstructural white matter (WM) alterations detected with diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) and cognition in adults with childhood-onset CP. DESIGN A cross-sectional study with a median follow-up time of 22 (6-49) years after operation. SETTING The South Medical Region of Sweden (2.5 million inhabitants). PARTICIPANTS Included were 41 patients (24 women, ≥17 years) surgically treated for childhood-onset CP between 1958-2010 and 32 controls with similar age and gender distributions. HL was found in 23 patients. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Subjects performed cognitive tests and magnetic resonance imaging, and images were analyzed using DTI of uncinate fasciculus, fornix, cingulum, hippocampus and hypothalamus as well as hippocampal volumetry. RESULTS Right uncinate fasciculus was significantly altered (P ≤ 0.01). Microstructural WM alterations in left ventral cingulum were significantly associated with worse performance in visual episodic memory, explaining approximately 50% of the variation. Alterations in dorsal cingulum were associated with worse performance in immediate, delayed recall and recognition, explaining 26-38% of the variation, and with visuospatial ability and executive function, explaining 19-29%. Patients who had smaller hippocampal volume had worse general knowledge (P = 0.028), and microstructural WM alterations in hippocampus were associated with a decline in general knowledge and episodic visual memory. CONCLUSIONS A structure to function relationship is suggested between microstructural WM alterations in cingulum and in hippocampus with cognitive deficits in CP.
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Affiliation(s)
- S Fjalldal
- Department of EndocrinologySkåne University Hospital, Lund, Sweden
| | - C Follin
- Department of EndocrinologySkåne University Hospital, Lund, Sweden
| | - D Svärd
- Department of Diagnostic RadiologyClinical Sciences
| | - L Rylander
- Division of Occupational and Environmental MedicineDepartment of Experimental Medical Science, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - S Gabery
- Translational Neuroendocrine Research UnitDepartment of Experimental Medical Science, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Å Petersén
- Translational Neuroendocrine Research UnitDepartment of Experimental Medical Science, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - D van Westen
- Department of Diagnostic RadiologyClinical Sciences
| | - P C Sundgren
- Department of Diagnostic RadiologyClinical Sciences
- Department of Medical Imaging and PhysiologySkåne University Hospital, Lund, Sweden
| | - I M Björkman-Burtscher
- Department of Diagnostic RadiologyClinical Sciences
- Department of Medical Imaging and PhysiologySkåne University Hospital, Lund, Sweden
| | - J Lätt
- Department of Medical Imaging and PhysiologySkåne University Hospital, Lund, Sweden
| | - B Ekman
- Department of Endocrinology and Medical and Health SciencesLinköping University, Linköping, Sweden
| | - A Johanson
- Department of Psychology and PsychiatrySkåne University Hospital, Lund, Sweden
| | - E M Erfurth
- Department of EndocrinologySkåne University Hospital, Lund, Sweden
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Ajithkumar T, Mazhari AL, Stickan-Verfürth M, Kramer PH, Fuentes CS, Lambert J, Thomas H, Müller H, Fleischhack G, Timmermann B. Proton Therapy for Craniopharyngioma - An Early Report from a Single European Centre. Clin Oncol (R Coll Radiol) 2018; 30:307-316. [PMID: 29459099 DOI: 10.1016/j.clon.2018.01.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2017] [Revised: 12/22/2017] [Accepted: 01/16/2018] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
AIMS Proton beam therapy (PBT) is being increasingly used for craniopharyngioma. We describe our early outcome of patients treated with PBT. MATERIALS AND METHODS Between August 2013 and July 2016, 18 patients with craniopharyngiomas were treated with 54 Cobalt Gray Equivalent (CGE) in 30 fractions over 6 weeks at our centre. The early outcome of 16 patients included in a registry study was analysed. Radiological response was assessed by RECIST criteria and the disease- and treatment-related toxicities were scored according to the CTCAE 4.0. RESULTS All patients are alive at a median follow-up of 32.6 months (range 9.2-70.6 months) from initial diagnosis. The median age at PBT was 10.2 years (range 5.4-46.9 years). One patient progressed 8.7 months after PBT and subsequently had complete resection of the tumour. At a median follow-up of 18.4 months after PBT, five patients remained in complete remission, four in partial remission and seven with stable disease. The most common adverse effects during PBT were grade 1 (cutaneous in seven patients and fatigue in six patients). There were no treatment-related grade 3 toxicities. CONCLUSIONS Our early results are encouraging and comparable with the limited literature on PBT for craniopharyngioma.
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Affiliation(s)
- T Ajithkumar
- Department of Oncology, Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Cambridge, UK
| | - A-L Mazhari
- West German Proton Therapy Centre Essen (WPE), Essen, Germany
| | - M Stickan-Verfürth
- West German Proton Therapy Centre Essen (WPE), Essen, Germany; Clinic for Particle Therapy, University Hospital Essen, Essen, Germany
| | - P-H Kramer
- West German Proton Therapy Centre Essen (WPE), Essen, Germany
| | - C-S Fuentes
- West German Proton Therapy Centre Essen (WPE), Essen, Germany
| | - J Lambert
- West German Proton Therapy Centre Essen (WPE), Essen, Germany
| | - H Thomas
- West German Proton Therapy Centre Essen (WPE), Essen, Germany
| | - H Müller
- Department of Pediatrics, Klinikum Oldenburg, Medical Campus University Oldenburg, Oldenburg, Germany
| | - G Fleischhack
- Paediatric Haematology/Oncology, Paediatrics III, University Hospital Essen, Essen, Germany
| | - B Timmermann
- West German Proton Therapy Centre Essen (WPE), Essen, Germany; Clinic for Particle Therapy, University Hospital Essen, Essen, Germany.
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Makola M, Douglas Ris M, Mahone EM, Yeates KO, Cecil KM. Long-term effects of radiation therapy on white matter of the corpus callosum: a diffusion tensor imaging study in children. Pediatr Radiol 2017; 47:1809-1816. [PMID: 28844078 PMCID: PMC5693613 DOI: 10.1007/s00247-017-3955-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2017] [Revised: 06/20/2017] [Accepted: 07/18/2017] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Despite improving survival rates, children are at risk for long-term cognitive and behavioral difficulties following the diagnosis and treatment of a brain tumor. Surgery, chemotherapy and radiation therapy have all been shown to impact the developing brain, especially the white matter. OBJECTIVE The purpose of this study was to determine the long-term effects of radiation therapy on white matter integrity, as measured by diffusion tensor imaging, in pediatric brain tumor patients 2 years after the end of radiation treatment, while controlling for surgical interventions. MATERIALS AND METHODS We evaluated diffusion tensor imaging performed at two time points: a baseline 3 to 12 months after surgery and a follow-up approximately 2 years later in pediatric brain tumor patients. A region of interest analysis was performed within three regions of the corpus callosum. Diffusion tensor metrics were determined for participants (n=22) who underwent surgical tumor resection and radiation therapy and demographically matched with participants (n=22) who received surgical tumor resection only. RESULTS Analysis revealed that 2 years after treatment, the radiation treated group exhibited significantly lower fractional anisotropy and significantly higher radial diffusivity within the body of the corpus callosum compared to the group that did not receive radiation. CONCLUSION The findings indicate that pediatric brain tumor patients treated with radiation therapy may be at greater risk of experiencing long-term damage to the body of the corpus callosum than those treated with surgery alone.
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Affiliation(s)
- Monwabisi Makola
- College of Medicine, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - M Douglas Ris
- Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, TX, USA
| | - E Mark Mahone
- Department of Neuropsychology, Kennedy Krieger Institute, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Keith Owen Yeates
- Department of Psychology, Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Kim M Cecil
- Imaging Research Center, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, MLC 5033, 3333 Burnet Ave., Cincinnati, OH, 45229, USA.
- Department of Radiology, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, USA.
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, USA.
- Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, USA.
- Department of Environmental Health, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, USA.
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Müller HL, Merchant TE, Puget S, Martinez-Barbera JP. New outlook on the diagnosis, treatment and follow-up of childhood-onset craniopharyngioma. Nat Rev Endocrinol 2017; 13:299-312. [PMID: 28155902 DOI: 10.1038/nrendo.2016.217] [Citation(s) in RCA: 79] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Childhood-onset craniopharyngiomas are rare embryonic tumours of low-grade histological malignancy. Novel insights into the molecular pathogenesis of human adamantinomatous craniopharyngioma have started to unveil the possibility of testing novel treatments targeting pathogenic pathways. Hypothalamic involvement and/or treatment-related lesions result in impaired physical and social functionality and in severe neuroendocrine sequelae. Quality of survival in patients with craniopharyngioma with hypothalamic involvement is impaired by severe obesity, physical fatigue and non-optimal psychosocial development. Patients with craniopharyngioma involving hypothalamic structures have reduced 20-year overall survival, but overall and progression-free survival are not related to the degree of surgical resection. Irradiation is effective in the prevention of tumour progression and recurrence. For favourably localized craniopharyngiomas, the preferred treatment of choice is to attempt complete resection with preservation of visual, hypothalamic and pituitary function. For unfavourably localized tumours in close proximity to optic and/or hypothalamic structures, a radical neurosurgical strategy attempting complete resection is not recommended owing to potential severe sequelae. As expertise has been shown to have an impact on post-treatment morbidity, medical societies should establish criteria for adequate professional expertise for the treatment of craniopharyngioma. On the basis of these criteria, health authorities should organize the certification of centres of excellence that are authorized to treat and care for patients with this chronic disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hermann L Müller
- Department of Pediatrics and Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, Klinikum Oldenburg AöR, Medical Campus University Oldenburg, Rahel-Straus-Strasse 10, 26133 Oldenburg, Germany
| | - Thomas E Merchant
- Division of Radiation Oncology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, 262 Danny Thomas Place, Memphis, Tennessee 38105-3678, USA
| | - Stephanie Puget
- Service de Neurochirurgie, Hôpital Necker-Enfants Malades, Sorbonne Paris Cité, 149 Rue de Sèvres, 75015 Paris, France
| | - Juan-Pedro Martinez-Barbera
- Developmental Biology and Cancer Programme, Birth Defects Research Centre, University College London (UCL) Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, 30 Guilford Street, London WC1N 1EH, UK
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Lubuulwa J, Lei T. Pathological and Topographical Classification of Craniopharyngiomas: A Literature Review. J Neurol Surg Rep 2016; 77:e121-7. [PMID: 27556005 PMCID: PMC4993606 DOI: 10.1055/s-0036-1588060] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Craniopharyngiomas (CPs) are clinically relevant tumors of the sellar region and are associated with high morbidity and occasional mortality. There are two different subtypes of CPs that differ clinically and pathologically: adamantinomatous CP and papillary CP. The differential diagnosis is still challenging even with developments in preoperative imaging as several tumors of the sellar/parasellar region share a continuum of clinical characteristics and imaging similarities. Several topographical classifications of CPs have been mentioned in literature, but to date, there has not been a consensus on a standard reference classification system and there is need to a develop such a model.
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Affiliation(s)
- James Lubuulwa
- Department of Neurosurgery, Tongji Hospital of Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Ting Lei
- Department of Neurosurgery, Tongji Hospital of Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
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Neuroplastic Response After Radiation Therapy for Pediatric Brain Tumors: A Pilot Study. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys 2016; 95:991-998. [PMID: 27302514 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijrobp.2016.01.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2014] [Revised: 12/03/2015] [Accepted: 01/07/2016] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE Clinically effective measurement of cognitive toxicity from photon radiation therapy (XRT) should be accurate, sensitive, and specific. This pilot study tested translational findings on phasic changes in children's memory systems that are sensitive and insensitive to toxic XRT effects to identify a possible neuroplastic effect. METHODS AND MATERIALS Memory processes were prospectively tested before XRT and at 3 later time points up to 2 years in 35 children with mixed primary brain tumors who had not experienced recurrence. Memory processes were verbal-semantic, visual-semantic, and visual-perceptual, including accuracy, speed to recall, encoding, retrieval, and recognition. The mixed-effects model included time (to estimate slope), covariates (age, tumor locus, XRT field, and medications) as fixed effects, and individual random intercepts. A sensitivity analysis examined the influence of XRT dose to the hippocampi on memory. RESULTS Retrieval from long-term verbal-semantic memory declined 2 months after completing XRT, as seen in adults, and was lowest at 1 year, which was delayed in comparison with adults. Double dissociation from visual-perceptual memory at baseline and 2 months was found, consistent with adults. Recovery was demonstrated 2 years after XRT. Patterns were unchanged when dose to hippocampus was included in the model. CONCLUSIONS Verbal and semantic long-term retrieval is specifically sensitive to XRT-related cognitive dysfunction, without effect on visual-perceptual memory. Children reached nadir in XRT-sensitive memory 1 year after XRT and recovered by 2 years, which is later than that observed in adults. The protracted period of post-XRT injury may represent the maturation of the human hippocampus and white matter into late adolescence.
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