Evaluating the glymphatic system via magnetic resonance diffusion tensor imaging along the perivascular spaces in brain tumor patients.

purposeTo investigate glymphatic system function in patients with brain tumors, including both primary and secondary tumors, using diffusion tensor imaging along perivascular spaces (DTI-ALPS).

methodsWe retrospectively analyzed the MR DTI of 24 patients with unilateral brain tumors and compared them with age and sex-matched controls. We compared the DTI-ALPS index of the ipsi- and contralateral brain hemispheres. The region of interest was placed in the periventricular vessels adjacent to the lateral ventricles. Differences between sex, age, and kind of tumor (primary or brain metastasis) were evaluated. Correlations between DTI-ALPS index and age and the tumor's apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) were also investigated.

resultsThe DTI-ALPS index was significantly lower (p < 0.05) in the tumor-affected hemisphere (mean = 1.26 ± 0.24) than contralateral (mean = 1.43 ± 0.28). A comparison with healthy controls revealed no significant difference on the matched ipsilateral side. However, the DTI-ALPS index of the contralateral side of the patients was larger than the HC. Additionally, no statistically significant differences were found when analyzing the DTI-ALPS index vs. age, sex, and tumor entity. Additionally, we did not find a correlation between the DTI-ALPS index and patient age or tumor ADC.

conclusionThe decreased DTI-ALPS index in the tumor-affected hemisphere may be related to impaired glymphatic system function. However, cancer is often a systemic disease; thus, the DTI-ALPS index from the contralateral brain hemisphere may not generally be considered as a normal control. Nonetheless, the DTI-ALPS index does not only reflect diffusion in the perivascular spaces but it can also be influenced by factors such as axonal degeneration. Therefore, it does not directly reflect brain waste clearance and changes in the index should be interpreted carefully.