Investigating DWI changes in white matter of meningioma patients treated with proton therapy

PurposeTo evaluate changes in diffusion and perfusion-related properties of white matter (WM) induced by proton therapy, which is capable a greater dose sparing to organs at risk with respect conventional X-ray radiotherapy, eventually expose early manifestations delayed neuro-toxicities.MethodsApparent coefficient (ADC) IVIM parameters (D, D* f) were estimated from diffusion-weighted MRI (DWI) 46 patients affected meningioma treated therapy. The impact on WM time, as well the influence demographic pre-treatment clinical information, investigated through linear mixed-effects models.ResultsDecreasing trends ADC D found for regions hit medium–high (30–40 Gy(RBE)) high (>40 doses, are compatible restriction due radiation-induced cellular injury. Significant time median observed. Also, showed significant dependency dose, whereas f consistently no time. Age, gender surgery extent also affect ADC.ConclusionsThese results overall agree those studies conducted cohorts mixed radiotherapy patients. Future work should focus relating our findings information co-morbidities thus exploiting such or more advanced imaging data build normal tissue complication probability models better integrate information.